PHOTOS: The top 5 local stories that defined 2025

#1: Federal layoffs and job cuts

Back in January, President Donald Trump tapped billionaire Elon Musk to lead what was called the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The stated goal was to cut fraud, waste and abuse by downsizing the federal workforce.

DOGE’s efforts led hundreds of thousands of federal workers to leave their jobs through layoffs, firings or the “deferred resignation” program.

“When we look January to June, there’s been a huge drop in federal employment in the region. It’s down 4.5%,” said Tracy Hadden Loh, a fellow with the Brookings Institution.

Loh and Terry Clower, the director of the Schar School’s Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University, said there are still a lot of unknowns since detailed local third quarter labor data likely won’t be released until next month.

“The DOGE cuts and the actions of the Trump administration have hit the region very quickly,” Clower said.

WTOP’s Kate Ryan reports on the impact DOGE has had on the local economy.

Read the full story here.

#2: Midair crash near DCA

The midair collision near Reagan National Airport on Jan. 29 involving an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter killed all 64 aboard the jet, and the three-person chopper crew.

The National Transportation Safety Board concluded the crash was caused by a combination of altitude misreporting, the D.C. area’s congested airspace and communication failures. The chopper’s altimeter was underreporting the helicopter’s altitude, so the crew believed they were flying at the appropriate level, which put the chopper directly in the approach path of the jet.

The FAA permanently banned nonessential helicopter flights in critical DCA airspace, with exceptions only for medevac, law enforcement, presidential or urgent missions.

WTOP’s Neal Augenstein reports on how the crash changed D.C.’s airspace.

Read the full story here on Tuesday.

#3: Federal government shutdown

There have been a growing number of government shutdowns in recent years, but none has lasted longer than the one that dragged on for 43 days in the fall of 2025.

The shutdown had a major impact, causing more than a million federal employees to work without pay, millions of Americans to lose their food assistance when SNAP benefits ran out and widespread disruptions in air travel.

The U.S. House was also out of session during the duration of the shutdown, bringing all legislative action to a halt.

The government shutdown, while decried by Republicans and Democrats, was used by both parties to try to achieve their policy goals — a method that usually fails.

Democrats pressed to get subsidies extended for the Affordable Care Act that would prevent insurance premiums from soaring for millions of Americans in January.

Ultimately, Senate Majority Leader and South Dakota Sen. John Thune agreed to a vote on extending the subsidies, which failed in the Senate.

The subsidies are set to expire on Dec. 31, and Congress potentially faces another shutdown showdown when federal funds run out on Jan. 30.

WTOP’s Mitchell Miller reports on how the 2025 federal government shutdown opened the doors for potentially more in the future.

Read the full story on Wednesday.

#4: Washington Commanders stadium deal

D.C. scored big this year. After months of tense negotiations, the D.C. Council voted to bring the Washington Commanders back home with a new stadium at the former RFK Stadium site.

The first vote in August passed 9-3, and after some last-minute drama, the final vote in September sealed the deal.

“Washington, D.C., residents are winning,” said Council member Kenyan McDuffie.

Demolition of the old RFK Stadium is already underway, and the site will be cleared for construction by fall 2026. The new roofed stadium is expected to open in 2030, marking the largest private investment in city history.

WTOP’s Mike Murillo reports on what to expect with the development of a new sports stadium in the nation’s capital.

Read the full story here on Thursday.

#5: Federal law enforcement surge in DC

President Donald Trump activated hundreds of National Guard members and described a plan for federal oversight of D.C.’s police department on Aug. 11.

While city leaders touted significant drops in violent crime before the effort, Trump said the plan would, in part, be “getting rid of the slums.” He also criticized the maintenance of city streets and parks, highlighting graffiti and potholes.

The crime emergency ended after 30 days, after Congress declined to extend it. White House data described drops in violent crime categories.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed an executive order outlining the city’s path for federal collaboration after the emergency declaration ended in the fall, but signs of the surge remain. As of early December, there were over 2,700 National Guard troops assigned to patrol the city, according to data from the Joint Task Force.

During the week of Thanksgiving, West Virginia National Guard members Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe and Specialist Sarah Beckstrom were shot near Farragut Square. Beckstrom died in the shooting, and Wolfe was critically injured. In the days after, D.C. police teamed up with Guard members to patrol city streets.

There’s an ongoing court battle over whether the military presence in D.C. is legal, and whether the deployment can continue. Guard members are reportedly expected to remain in D.C. through at least February.

WTOP’s Scott Gelman reports on the August federal law enforcement surge and how the takeover of the District’s police force still echoes months later.

Read the full story here on Friday.

WTOP’s Ciara Wells, Kate Ryan, Neal Augenstein, Mitchell Miller, Mike Murillo and Scott Gelman contributed to this report.

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