The year 2025 was a wild ride, and many news headlines had drastic consequences that affected daily life in 2025 in ways that we could not have anticipated. Some of the after-shocks of 2025 are lingering in 2026. With so many exciting, upsetting, and surprising news stories over the past year, a few stand out as the most important headlines of 2025 in terms of politics, media, world news and more. Here are some of the most eye-catching news stories of the past year.

Politics: 

Charlie Kirk’s Assassination:

During a speech On September 10th, the founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed. His death created ripples throughout the political sphere as people struggled to recover in the aftermath of this tragic and shocking story. Democrats and Republicans disagreed with how the other portrayed the story in the news. Both sides also accused the other of being responsible for the tragic shooting. According to ABC news, “Republicans criticized some Democrats, suggesting language used by them contributed to Kirk’s killing, claims that Democrats rejected. Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly said the assassination attempt on his wife, then-Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords, shows political violence has come from both sides.” Kirk’s assassination is going to have ripple effects in the political world for years to come.    

Donald Trump’s Second Election Win:

Donald Trump was elected president once more in 2025, the second president ever to be in office, lose the following election, and then be elected again. In 2025, Trump signed 225 executive orders and started work on his “big beautiful bill” which eventually passed, giving more funding to multiple government agencies. Trump also introduced a lot of new tariffs on many countries, the worst of which were levied onto China. From tariffs to an immigration crackdown, the second Trump presidency has been full of controversy, much like his first presidency. So far, his second term has made a large impact on the world stage from the ceasefire in Gaza to the crackdown on drug trafficking overseas.

Ice cold ICE raids:

Trump also ordered for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to start nationwide raids in order to find, detain and deport illegal immigrants. These raids have had a drastic impact on America and its citizens. The raids have caused a wide range of panic and fear in the US, especially in sanctuary cities, as many are afraid that they could become a target in the next ICE raid. This fear has spread to many major cities like Minneapolis, Chicago, Miami, and Seattle just to name a few. ICE raids have already been proven lethal in the new year against several legal US citizens which has led to protesting and boycotts in major cities. 

US Government Shutdown:

2025 holds the record for the longest Government shutdown in United States history. Beating out the 35-day shutdown created during Trump’s first precedency in 2025, there was a 43-day shutdown which led to some controlled chaos as many government workers lost pay and many stopped working entirely without a salary. The divide between Democrats and Republicans over healthcare funding became a strong sticking point as the two sides struggled to reach a deal that would allow the Government to reopen. The shutdown caused a speeding nation to grind to a halt as the shutdown closed some national parks and museums and led to airline delays.

Gulf of Mexico Rebranded as Gulf of America

During the beginning of Trump’s Presidency, he vowed to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Trump was successful in this endeavor and renamed the Gulf. Many were upset with this change, however, and countries all over the world including Mexico, Cuba, and more continue referring to it as the Gulf of Mexico. News Agencies such as the Associated Press also continue to use the historical name. 

World News  

Pope Leo Appointed as the New Pope:

After the tragic passing of Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV was elected as the newest Pope. Many were excited about what he would accomplish as the first ever American to become the Pope. Pope Leo advocated for peace in the world and in the hearts and minds of people everywhere.

War in Israel and Gaza Leads to Ceasefire: 

The war in Israel and Gaza continued to develop in 2025 with multiple stressful hostage trades, ceasefires, and displacement of the people caught in between. The war claimed the lives of over 70,000 individuals and possibly many more. The conflict has also destroyed many families and left cities in ruin with many wondering how they are going to rebuild. Despite the conflict seemingly coming to a close after the diplomacy between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, the ceasefire is still fragile.   

Russian-Ukraine War Continues in Spite of Peace Talks:

Another ongoing war that dominated the news in 2025 is the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The two sides have been in conflict since February 2022 and for three long years, the struggle in Ukraine has dragged on in spite of calls for peace from the Trump administration. The loss of life and the terror seen in Ukraine is truly saddening to see. The conflict has been going on for so long that many people are wondering what it will take for Russia and Ukraine to reach an armistice.

Media, Sports, & Entertainment

Taylor Swift’s New Album, Life of a Showgirl, Arrives to Less than Stellar Reviews:

Taylor Swift dropped a brand new album in 2025 and despite other releases garnering near universal praise, many Taylor Swift fans were left disappointed. In particular, the song “Wood” left a bad impression on many listeners who expected more profound lyricism from Swift. Despite some criticism, the album does contain some radio hits like “Opalite” and “The Fate of Ophelia”. 

Coldplay Concert Scandal: 

During a Coldplay concert, many were shocked to see Astronomer CEO Andy Byron on the kiss cam embracing with his then-Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. Their appearance on the camera and their embarrassed reactions resulted in the story exploding all over social media. Even the Coldplay lead singer, Chris Martin, called out the disgraced couple as they attempted to shield their identities once they saw their images on the jumbo-tron. The fallout of this event resulted in Byron stepping down from his CEO role and Cabot resigning as well.          

Dodgers Win Back-to-Back World Series: 

The LA Dodgers won a thrilling and hard-fought World Series in game 7 over the inexhaustible Toronto Blue Jays. The series showcased some of the best theatrics in world series history as fans were treated to a true battle of skill and willpower between the two talented teams. Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named the 2025 World Series MVP after pitching an impressive 17 plus innings and securing a save just one day after dominating in game 6. 

TikTok’s Uncertain Future:

In 2025, TikTok nearly saw a complete ban in the US in the beginning of Trump’s presidential term. Trump attempted to ban the app due to his concerns with the data the app was collecting. Eventually, the app went down for around 14 hours until a deal was reached that allowed the app to return to business as usual in the US.

As you can see, 2025 had some crazy and incredible stories in both politics and in entertainment. While 2026 has started off a little bumpy, we can hope for a better future in the rest of 2026.