Welcome to the final From the policy desk newsletter of the year, where we look at the top stories that will shape Washington and beyond in 2025. (See our summary of the year Dynamics that defined 2024 here.) We will return on Friday, January 3.
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5 big stories that will shape 2025
By Sahil Kapur
With the new Congress set to begin on January 3 and President-elect Donald Trump’s term beginning on January 20, here are five big stories to watch in the new year.
1. How will Mike Johnson manage the slim House majority?
For Mike Johnson, getting re-elected House Speaker on Jan. 3, if he succeeds, may be the easy part. Next, he’ll face a series of difficult tasks with a razor-thin House majority: another round of government funding on March 14, a debt limit deadline, and a major partisan bill (maybe two) to advance Trump’s agenda on immigration, border security, energy and tax cuts. It will be a daunting challenge, particularly for a speaker who came out of nowhere to take office just 14 months ago. Johnson, who won Trump’s endorsement to remain president on Monday, is about to face the most momentous stretch of his career.
2. What will define the John Thune era?
For the first time in 18 years, Senate Republicans will have a new leader, with John Thune taking the reins from Mitch McConnell. Will Thune’s leadership style be similar or different? McConnell built his power by gaining deep knowledge of his conference and following its wishes. On what issues, if any, will Thune say no to Trump, and how?
3. How will Democrats manage Trump 2.0?
There are early signs that Democrats, burned by their failures in 2024, want to treat Trump differently than they did in his first term. Less panic over their social media posts and cultural mockery; focus more on the economic issues that caused voters to swing against them. It’s notable that some Democrats’ harshest criticism of Trump after the election came when he said it would be “difficult” to lower grocery prices. But it remains to be seen whether Democrats will have the discipline to stay focused on day-to-day issues.
4. What stars will emerge in the new Congress?
The Congressional class of 2025 will bring a new cast of characters for both parties. For Republicans on Capitol Hill, the currency will equate to proximity to Trump’s White House, the power to promote his agenda and the ability to go viral in conservative media. For Democrats, the question is who will be the face of the second resistance? They spent the final days of 2024 portraying Trump as a puppet of billionaires like Elon Musk and demanding a debt limit increase to grease the wheels to give Tump another tax cut bill.
5. Are Trump and his allies seeking retaliation?
After carrying out an agenda of retaliation against perceived political enemies, Trump said this month in an interview with “Meet the Press” that he wants to turn the page. “I’m not looking to go back to the past. Retribution will be through success,” he said. But his actions tell a different story. He already took legal action against media entities such as ABC News and an Iowa pollster before taking office. On Capitol Hill he will have allies in places of power, with committee chairmen and subpoena power to investigate. Will they use their power to settle scores with Trump?
That’s all from the Politics Department for now. If you have feedback (like or dislike), please email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com
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