2025 has been an extended, unusual journey.
The yr offered loads of causes to yell, “What the fuck?!” into the void, however this journey across the solar additionally featured a handful of alternatives to rejoice as properly.
Right here’s a glance again at some wins and the heroes behind them—and a few causes to smile.
No Kings protests
In June, hundreds of thousands of individuals across the globe took to the streets to remind the remainder of the nation—and the world—that the U.S. doesn’t abide wannabe “kings” and authoritarian vibes.
And MAGA seethed over it.
Forward of the key protest in opposition to President Donald Trump’s second time period, right-wing personalities warned of violence and mayhem that will undoubtedly come from radical leftists. However when individuals took to the streets with indicators and flags, the second shared throughout the nation solely produced energy and pleasure.
Cory Booker
We’ll give it to him: The person can yap. When you can recall that far again on this countless yr, the Democratic senator from New Jersey gave a marathon speech in April in protest of Trump and DOGE jerk Elon Musk’s actions, which lasted a whopping 25 hours. Booker’s long-winded effort set an early precedent for a much-desired combat from the Democratic Occasion, and his message was taken to coronary heart by his colleagues of their actions to return.
The Portland frog
Hear us out. Whereas Trump and his MAGA cult members had been screaming in regards to the harmful, radical left taking on the streets of Rose Metropolis, an unsung hero was suiting up in an inflatable inexperienced costume to tear the accusations to shreds. That’s a purpose to smile.
Redistricting wins
When Trump pressured his 2026 redistricting plans onto states like Texas, North Carolina, and Missouri, Democrats in California and Virginia agreed to some tit for tat.
Primarily, the 2 states took their redistricting plans to a referendum, permitting the choice to be in voters’ palms moderately than forcing it by—in contrast to different GOP-led states. Californians resoundingly authorised redrawing the state’s congressional maps to favor Democrats.
If crimson states are going to play the gerrymandering recreation, Democrats suiting up and pushing again characterize a sorely wanted win.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s go to to CECOT
In March, Trump deported 252 Venezuelan males who he claimed had been harmful Tren de Aragua gang members to a notoriously terrible jail in El Salvador. The one downside was that one man aboard a aircraft en path to the notorious terrorism confinement heart referred to as CECOT wasn’t meant to be there.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported regardless of being granted protecting standing by a choose in 2019. As an alternative of admitting their mistake, the Trump administration doubled down on its misstep and refused to return the daddy of two again to Maryland.
In a robust second, Delaware Sen. Chris Van Hollen secured a gathering with Abrego Garcia, touring to El Salvador to satisfy head to head with him and ensure his well-being. Van Hollen’s journey was greater than only a assembly, although. His persistence signified a pushback from Democrats who, like many others talking out, didn’t agree with Trump’s merciless and lawless deportation techniques.
The Epstein file vote
After Trump one way or the other flipped from pushing to launch the recordsdata associated to accused intercourse trafficker Jeffrey Epstein to calling it a Democrat “hoax” and refusing to reveal the knowledge to the general public, a bipartisan Congress voted to pressure its launch on Nov. 19.
This win was a very long time coming, with Democrats within the Home Oversight Committee sprinkling Trump and Epstein Easter eggs in spurts as they launched info they obtained.
However when the vote was lastly pressured regardless of Home Speaker Mike Johnson’s many delays, it gave a way of energy and hope to the various residents and alleged Epstein victims who had been pressured to demand transparency for much too lengthy.
Zohran Mamdani
Women and everybody else: introducing the serially cheesing millennial who took New York Metropolis—and MAGA—by storm. The self-proclaimed democratic socialist rapidly rose by the ranks of mayoral candidates as he promised issues like free public buses and group grocery shops. Now, he’s secured his place because the Huge Apple’s mayor-elect. And he managed to grin subsequent to Trump as he fortunately agreed that the president is, in actual fact, a fascist.
The Sandwich Man
When Sean Dunn was arrested for lobbing his Subway footlong at a Border Patrol officer in Washington, D.C., the general public was uncertain of what this meant for the rising resistance to Trump’s invasion of the nation’s “harmful” capital.
However because it seems, former Fox Information speaking head-turned U.S. Lawyer for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro couldn’t even indict a ham sandwich.
Dunn’s spontaneous response to Trump’s infiltration of Washington initially sparked a laughter-filled response from the left which, for months, had been labeled as violent and harsh by Trump. However one thing about mustard and onions hitting the agent’s bulletproof vest challenged that declare.
Gavin Newsom’s trolling
Okay, it won’t truly be the California governor behind the helm of his social media accounts, however he has finished a stellar job at hiring for his social media group. Previously yr, Newsom has held up a mirror to Trump’s unhinged, all-caps rants and AI meme-trolling by partaking in his personal.
From hilarious “Thanks on your consideration to this matter” tweets to introducing his personal bully-style nicknames (ahem, “Tiny Arms”), the outspoken Newsom has captured the nation’s consideration by standing as much as Trump at each flip.
And whereas stooping to the president’s fifth-grade humor degree won’t clear up something, Newsom’s antics certain did put a smile on loads of faces.
What did you think about shiny spots in 2025? Please share within the feedback beneath.
