The iciest moments of 2025: The 5 political feuds that froze Washington

President Trump sums up successes of the past year: 'They're not laughing anymore' President Donald Trump addresses the nation touting his administration's economic accomplishments from the White House. As temperatures drop in the nation’s capital and politicians hunker down for the holidays, here’s a look back at some of the political controversies that sent a chill through Washington, D.C. , this year. 1. Shutdown showdown: 43 days that froze Washington The government was shut down for 43 days in 2025, setting the record for the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Republicans blamed Democrats and Democrats blamed Republicans, leaving Capitol Hill at a standstill for a staggering stretch that put Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, federal paychecks and even air-traffic safety in jeopardy. TRUMP SAYS ECONOMY WILL ‘ROCKET’ AFTER SIGNING 'BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL': ‘IT’S GOING TO BE REALLY GREAT’ Congress failed to find common ground on a short-term spending bill as Senate Democrats refused to support any plan that did not include extensions of enhanced Obamacare subsidies set to expire at year’s end. President Donald Trump speaks with members of law enforcement and National Guard soldiers, Aug. 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo) Ultimately, eight Senate Democrats broke with leadership to reach a bipartisan deal to reopen the government, and six House Democrats followed suit - ending the shutdown without securing the subsidies their party had demanded. TRUMP SAYS ECONOMY WILL ‘ROCKET’ AFTER SIGNING 'BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL': ‘IT’S GOING TO BE REALLY GREAT’ 2. DOGE days: Trump & Musk take on the bureaucracy President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Inauguration Day establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with a mandate to cut waste, fraud and abuse across the federal government. Trump tapped Tesla CEO Elon Musk as a "special government employee" to spearhead spending reductions. According to DOGE, the agency has saved approximately $214 billion through asset sales, contract cancellations, improper payment recoveries, grant terminations, regulatory rollbacks, and workforce reductions. President Donald Trump said he likes Elon Musk "a lot" after the pair faced a rift over the One Big Beautiful Bill earlier this year. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) As Musk slashed spending, the agency overhauled federal operations, laying off tens of thousands of workers, cutting foreign-aid programs, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and shaking up global health efforts such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). 3. No Kings Days: Protest movements erupt nationwide The DOGE disruptions and Trump’s sweeping second-term agenda triggered a wave of protest movements across the country. In February, the 50501 Movement, a coalition of activists rejecting Trump’s "executive overreach," organized nationwide "Not My President’s Day," or "No Kings Day," demonstrations. From Austin to Orlando and Boston to Phoenix, crowds marched with handmade signs, chanting and singing in protest. More than a thousand gathered at the Capitol Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., on President's Day . Protesters gathered in Washington, D.C., for the No Kings Day protest on Oct. 18, 2025. (Fox News Digital/Emma Woodhead)...

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