Donald Trump’s first year in office was marked by a barrage of stark policy shifts and dramatic political moments. At times, it was hard to keep up.
Here’s a timeline of the biggest moments since Trump’s Inauguration on Jan. 20.
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Jan. 20, 2025
Takes the oath of office inside the Capitol Rotunda
Grants clemency to more than 1,500 charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol
Withdraws the U.S. from the Paris Agreement on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions
Changes the official government name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America
Creates Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and announces a federal hiring freeze
Suspends the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and freezes all foreign aid
Signs an Executive Order ending the constitutional right of citizenship to those born in the U.S., which is quickly challenged in court
Issues guidance to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) allowing immigration arrests at schools, hospitals, and public gatherings
Jan. 21
Allows ICE to make civil immigration arrests inside courthouses
Jan. 24
Fires 17 inspectors general tasked with investigating waste, fraud, and abuse at federal agencies
Jan. 25
Tells reporters on Air Force One, “I think Greenland we’ll get,” as his push to acquire the territory from Denmark stuns European allies
Jan. 28
Office of Personnel Management sends “Fork in the Road” email to federal workers with offer to resign and be paid through Sept. 30
Read more: Trump’s Early Actions Mirror Project 2025, the Blueprint He Once Dismissed
Jan. 29
Signs into law the Laken Riley Act, which requires detention of immigrants charged with theft or assault of officers
Feb. 1
Citing a national emergency on illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling, announces plan to impose 25% tariffs on most imports from Canada and Mexico
Feb. 3
Tells reporters he’d “like to see Canada become our 51st state”
Read more: All Gas, No Guardrails: Trump’s Whirlwind First Year
Feb. 4
Says during an event with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. should “own” the Gaza Strip, “level the site,” and make it the “Riviera of the Middle East”
Feb. 28
Joins Vice President J.D. Vance in berating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oval Office
March 1
Declares English the official language of the United States
March 15
Invokes the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members to a notorious prison in El Salvador
Orders missile strikes against Houthi militants in Yemen, the plans for which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth inadvertently texts to a journalist
March 24
Signs an Executive Order authorizing 25% tariffs on goods from any country importing Venezuelan oil
April 2
Announces 10% tariff on all imports and singles out some countries for higher rates at “Liberation Day” event
Read more: Exclusive: Inside Trump’s First 100 Days
April 30
Signs deal with Ukraine to create a shared investment fund for rare earth mining to offset cost of American-made weapons
May 12
Admits 59 white South Africans to U.S. as refugees
May 21
Berates South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Oval Office
June 7
Deploys the National Guard to Los Angeles to protect federal buildings and personnel during protests
June 10
Announces seven military bases reverting to names that previously honored Confederate leaders
June 17
While Israel strikes Iranian nuclear sites and Iran launches missile barrages at Israel, calls for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and asserts U.S. now has “total control” of Iran airspace
June 21
Orders airstrikes on nuclear facilities in Iran
June 30
Shuts down the U.S. Agency for International Development
July 4
Signs into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a large spending package that reduces taxes on corporations and the wealthy and strips away investments aimed at reducing fossil-fuel use
July 18
Secures release of 10 American prisoners in Venezuela in exchange for return home of 252 Venezuelans the U.S. sent to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison
Aug. 11
Deploys National Guard in Washington, D.C., and declares a “crime emergency”
Sept. 2
Posts a video on social media of the U.S. military blowing up a boat at sea, saying the strike killed 11 “narcoterrorists.” Within three months, similar U.S. strikes kill more than 80 people
Sept. 10
Posts on Truth Social that Charlie Kirk is dead after being shot at Utah Valley University
Sept. 15
Deploys the National Guard to Memphis
Sept. 20
Publicly pressures Attorney General Pam Bondi to indict former FBI Director James Comey, which the Justice Department does five days later
Sept. 22
Designates “Antifa” a domestic terrorist organization
Sept. 25
Issues a memorandum instructing the FBI to investigate groups that promote violence based on “anti-Christianity,” “anti-Capitalism,” “extremism on migration,” and “hostility toward those who hold traditional views”
Sept. 29
Announces Israel has accepted a U.S. plan for a cease-fire and puts himself in charge of a future “Peace Council” overseeing the Gaza Strip
Read more: How the Gaza Deal Got Done
Oct. 13
Hamas releases all 20 living Israeli hostages who had been held in Gaza for more than two years
Oct. 20
Begins demolition of the White House’s East Wing to build a ballroom, saying donors will cover construction costs
Oct. 29
Announces on Truth Social that the U.S. will “start testing our Nuclear Weapons” in light of “other countries testing programs”
Nov. 17
U.N. Security Council adopts Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza
Nov. 18
Contradicting U.S. intelligence findings, says that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “knew nothing” about the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and that “things happen.”
Nov. 19
Signs bill to release case files of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after months of opposing it
Nov. 21
Hosts a friendly meeting with Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected mayor of New York City and an avowed democratic socialist in the Oval Office. “I think this mayor is going to be doing some things that are really great,” Trump says.
Dec. 5
Accepts the newly created “FIFA Peace Prize” from FIFA President Gianni Infantino awards at the World Cup draw ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Dec. 9
Announces a “permanent pause on Third World migration, including from hellholes like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia and many other countries” at a rally in Pennsylvania, and acknowledges making a reference to “sh-thole countries” during his first term that he had previously denied
Dec. 10
Announces to reporters at the White House that the U.S. had seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela. Attorney General Pam Bondi says the oil tanker was seized for “supporting foreign terrorist organizations”
The post Timeline: Key Moments in Donald Trump’s Turbulent 2025 appeared first on TIME.
