{"id":2524845,"date":"2025-12-25T07:38:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T12:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-biggest-political-events-of-2025-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-12-25T07:40:27","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T12:40:27","slug":"the-biggest-political-events-of-2025-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-biggest-political-events-of-2025-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"The biggest political events of 2025 &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthe-biggest-political-events-of-2025-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2524845&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Teh Washington Examiner&#8217;s roundup of 2025&#8217;s major political stories centers on President Donald trump&#8217;s return to the White House for a second term and the ripple effects across protests, policy fights, and elections. Large &#8220;no Kings&#8221; demonstrations-first on Trump&#8217;s birthday, June 14, and again on Oct. 18-targeted his agenda, especially deportation policies; the October protests drew national figures like Sens. Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer and were linked to dozens of grassroots groups and organizers. Trump responded provocatively at times,including posting an AI-generated mockery of protesters.<\/p>\n<p>A record-setting government shutdown stretched from Oct. 1 to Nov. 13 (about six weeks), leaving many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-demands-government-shutdown-as-mccarthy-tries-to-avoid-one\/\" title=\"Trump wants ..., McCarthy tries to prevent it.\">federal workers unpaid<\/a> and prompting a contentious fight over affordable Care Act subsidy extensions. The impasse finally ended after several Senate Democrats crossed wiht republicans to advance a funding bill, but competing healthcare proposals from both parties failed to clear the 60-vote threshold.<\/p>\n<p>The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10 produced nationwide vigils and high-profile tributes; Turning Point USA reported a surge in requests to start new campus chapters, and Kirk&#8217;s widow pledged to carry on his movement. <\/p>\n<p>In the 2025 election cycle, democrats posted major wins in November-sweeping races in New York City (electing Zohran Mamdani mayor), New Jersey (Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill), and virginia (Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger), often by large margins. Several December special-election victories and these results gave Democrats momentum heading into the 2026 midterms and signaled pressure on an already narrow Republican House majority.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">The biggest political events of 2025<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2388967\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The year 2025 is coming to a close, marking an end to a historic year for the United States.<\/p>\n<p>President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3914062\/trump-campaign-2024-double-edged-sword\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> returned to the White House in January, <span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">marking&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3293557\/donald-trump-inauguration-speech-full-transcript\/\">the start of his second term<\/a><\/span>. Many of the year&rsquo;s biggest events are connected to him, including protests, a government shutdown, and an election cycle that could be a prelude to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-elections\/\">2026 midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4355362\/january-social-security-direct-payment-worth-994-out-six-days\/\">January Social Security direct payment worth $994 goes out in six days<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4355461\/first-round-january-social-security-payments-out-20-days\/\">First round of January Social Security payments goes out in 20 days<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/3917371\/three-ways-trump-influence-hollywood-grown\/\">Three ways Trump&#8217;s influence over Hollywood has grown<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>These are the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/reporters-fail-to-ask-psaki-or-biden-about-one-of-the-biggest-news-stories-in-the-u-s\/\" title=\"Reporters Fail To Ask Psaki Or Biden About One Of The Biggest News Stories In The U.S.\">biggest news stories<\/a> the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>covered this year:<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-no-kings-protests\">&lsquo;No Kings&rsquo; protests<\/h2>\n<p>Two separate days of mass protests were the talk of the nation this year, with the first taking place on June 14, Trump&rsquo;s birthday, and the second being held around four months later. The protests mainly opposed the president and his agenda for the nation, specifically the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/beltway-confidential\/3857752\/democrats-omit-illegal-when-talking-about-immigrants-at-no-kings-rally\/\">deportation of illegal immigrants<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&ldquo;No Kings&rdquo; protest on Oct. 18, 2025, in New York City. (Sydney Topf, Washington Examiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Demonstrators carry a signed banner representing the U.S. Constitution as they march to the National Mall during a &ldquo;No Kings&rdquo; protest in Washington, on Oct. 18, 2025. (AP Photo\/Jose Luis Magana, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A man protesting at the &ldquo;No Kings&rdquo; march in New York City. (The Washington Examiner\/Sydney Topf)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The second round of protests, set on Oct. 18, saw Sens. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3855105\/bernie-sanders-headline-no-kings-protest-washington-dc\/\">Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT) and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3853567\/chuck-schumer-no-kings-protest-this-weekend\/\">Chuck Schumer<\/a> (D-NY) join attendees who oppose the president. Trump, meanwhile, poked fun at the protests by posting a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3856236\/trump-video-poop-protesters-no-kings\/\">video generated via artificial intelligence<\/a>, featuring him piloting a plane titled &ldquo;King Trump&rdquo; as it drops what appears to be feces onto hundreds of protesters.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Investigative journalist group the Pearl Project estimated there were 265 organizations conducting No Kings protests that Saturday, with the Indivisible Project reportedly &ldquo;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3855916\/soros-groups-are-funding-anti-trump-no-kings-protests\/\">managing data and communications<\/a> with participants.&rdquo; Indivisible has significant ties to Open Society Foundations, founded by billionaire Democratic donor <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/george-soros\/\">George Soros<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-government-shutdown\">The government shutdown<\/h2>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3874772\/government-shutdown-longest-us-history\/\">longest government shutdown<\/a> in U.S. history occurred in 2025, lasting approximately six weeks <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3886826\/longest-government-shutdown-poised-most-costly\/\">from Oct. 1 through Nov. 13<\/a>. The shutdown saw federal workers go without pay for weeks on end, some of whom <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3848174\/sean-duffy-blames-democrats-chaos-delayed-travel-prolonged-government-shutdown\/\">chose not to show up for work<\/a> as a result of their halted pay.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Donald Trump speaks before signing the funding bill to reopen the government in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Democratic lawmakers argued the heart of the shutdown feud was over subsidies for people who purchase health insurance through the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/affordable-care-act\/\">Affordable Care Act<\/a>, asking the Republican Party to extend these subsidies. The feud began to slow after eight Senate Democrats <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3880701\/senate-democrats-voted-republicans-reopen-government\/\">voted with most Republicans<\/a> to end the shutdown, paving the way for legislation to pass the House and get to Trump&rsquo;s desk.<\/p>\n<p>Both Senate Republicans and Democrats are feuding over healthcare bills to address the heart of the shutdown, with both parties&rsquo; bills <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3914823\/dueling-healthcare-bills-rejected-senate-obamacare-subsidies-expire\/\">failing to acquire<\/a> the necessary 60 votes to advance.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-charlie-kirk-s-assassination-and-vigil\">Charlie Kirk&rsquo;s assassination and vigil<\/h2>\n<p>Multiple vigils mourning the death of Turning Point USA co-founder <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/charlie-kirk\/\">Charlie Kirk<\/a> were held in the wake of his assassination on Sept. 10, one of which took place at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Attendees told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3807304\/charlie-kirk-murder-sets-fire-in-attendees-honoring-him-kennedy-center\/\">Kirk&rsquo;s murder &ldquo;set a fire in us,&rdquo;<\/a> as Kirk had been &ldquo;a very big inspiration&rdquo; for them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks during a memorial and prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Various speakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., reflected on Kirk&rsquo;s impact on the United States.<\/p>\n<p>In the wake of his assassination, his widow, Erika Kirk, has <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3806468\/charlie-kirk-widow-tells-america-no-idea-what-you-unleashed\/\">vowed to continue Kirk&rsquo;s movement<\/a> at TPUSA. The conservative organization announced on X two weeks after Kirk&rsquo;s death that it received <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TPUSA\/status\/1970924379237482675?s=20\">over 121,000 requests for new TPUSA chapters<\/a> at high schools or college campuses.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-2025-election-cycle\">The 2025 election cycle<\/h2>\n<p>The Democratic Party <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3876184\/democrats-2025-election-victories-big-and-small-races\/\">swept the November elections<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >scoring major wins<\/a> in New York City, New Jersey, and Virginia, among other states. One of the party&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3871226\/zohran-mamdani-cuomo-sliwa-new-york-city-mayor-race\/\">biggest victories<\/a> saw New York City Mayor-elect <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/zohran-mamdani\/\">Zohran Mamdani <\/a>defeat both Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and independent candidate former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the latter candidate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3459679\/zohran-mamdani-nyc-democratic-mayoral-primary-winner-official\/\">previously losing to Mamdani<\/a> in the Democratic primary.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3875845\/2025-election-takeaways-republicans-lost-and-they-know-it\/\">2025 ELECTION TAKEAWAYS: REPUBLICANS LOST AND THEY KNOW IT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In Virginia and New Jersey, both Democratic candidates won their races by double digits. Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3873467\/jack-ciattarelli-mikie-sherrill-new-jersey-governor-election\/\">won her race with 56.9%<\/a> of the Garden State&rsquo;s vote, putting her ahead of Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli by over 14%. In Virginia, Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) won with <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3866711\/spanberger-earle-sears-virginia-woman-governor-2025-election\/\">over 57% of the vote<\/a>, outpacing Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by around 15%.<\/p>\n<p>These major victories, as well as <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3912970\/democrats-set-expanded-targets-surprise-victories-florida-georgia\/\">several special elections<\/a> in December, have <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3909057\/democrats-2026-momentum-republican-sabotage\/\">fueled the Democratic Party&rsquo;s confidence<\/a> as it heads into the 2026 midterm elections, setting its sights on retaking the House of Representatives. Republicans only have a slight majority in the lower chamber of Congress, which will likely shrink more once Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3895734\/marjorie-taylor-greene-resigns-congress\/\">resigns from her seat<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Major 2025 political events centered on Trump<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2632,"featured_media":2524846,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/biggest-news-stories-2025-e1765998518494.jpg?1765384763&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[69432,69433,33017,32515,32076],"class_list":["post-2524845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-2025-political-events","tag-elections-aftermath","tag-political-analysis","tag-us-politics","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/biggest-news-stories-2025-e1765998518494.jpg?1765384763&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2524845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2632"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2524845"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2524845\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2524849,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2524845\/revisions\/2524849"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2524846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2524845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2524845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2524845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}