Top 5 Stories of 2025: Peace Deals, Education Reform, Papal Election, Government Efficiency, and Border Security

Historic Peace Accords Brokered Globally

• 🕊️ The White House administration, led by President Donald Trump, brokered multiple historic peace deals across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the South Caucuses in 2025.
• 🤝 Key agreements included a US-led plan to end the Gaza conflict, a joint declaration between Azerbaijan and Armenia, a peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, and the Kuala Lumpur peace accords between Thailand and Cambodia.
• 🌍 These successes highlight the administration's peace through strength approach, resolving long-standing conflicts where previous efforts had failed.

Dismantling the Department of Education

• 🏛️ President Trump signed an executive order to begin the structured phase-out of the US Department of Education.
• 👩‍🏫 Secretary of Education Linda McMahon was directed to restructure operations, with the goal of empowering states to implement educational strategies best suited for their communities.
• 📊 Inter-agency agreements were established by November to demonstrate the effectiveness of handling education responsibilities at the state level or through redistribution.

First American Pope Elected

• 🇻🇦 Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first American pontiff.
• ✝️ Following the death of Pope Francis, Prevost chose the name Leo XIV to honor past reformist popes.
• 🌍 Pope Leo XIV has addressed the persecution of Christians in countries like Nigeria and Bangladesh, and stated that every country has the right to determine its immigration policies.

Government Efficiency and USAID Reform

• 💰 The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) significantly reduced waste, fraud, and abuse within federal spending, particularly targeting the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
• 📉 DOGE exposed and eliminated billions of dollars in questionable foreign aid, canceling thousands of contracts and up to 83% of USAID programs.
• 🚫 Examples of cut spending included initiatives like a $20 million Sesame Street program in Iraq and grants for transgender clinics in India, with foreign leaders like El Salvador's president endorsing the reforms.

Record-Low Illegal Entries at Southern Border

• 🛂 The Department of Homeland Security reported a record-breaking achievement in immigration enforcement, with 2.5 million illegal aliens leaving the US since January.
• ⚖️ This total includes over 605,000 formal deportations and nearly 1.9 million voluntary self-deportations.
• 🏠 For six consecutive months, no illegal aliens were released into the US, coinciding with a four-month decline in rental prices.