The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Stories That Shaped 2025

What was the biggest story of the year? Join the Federalist staff, including Executive Editor Joy Pullmann, Assistant Editor Joshua Monnington, Staff Writer Jordan Boyd, and Senior Elections Correspondent Matt Kittle, as they dissect the news cycles that defined 2025, including the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the DOGE project, and rogue judges. They also name the worst person of the year and dive into the top issues that will carry over into 2026.  The Federalist is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, author Amanda Bauch joins Federalist Executive Editor Joy Pullmann to discuss the inspiration behind her newly published devotional book, explain how she escaped a manipulative cult, and detail her journey to becoming a Lutheran pastor's wife.You can find Bauch's book One Nation Under God here. The Federalist Foundation is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

Join Federalist Editor-In-Chief Mollie Hemingway and her husband, Federalist Book Editor Mark Hemingway, as they summarize the latest Bari Weiss and 60 Minutes brouhaha, discuss news that Fulton County Georgia illegally certified hundreds of thousands of votes in the 2020 election, and analyze a bombshell Compact Magazine article detailing how millennial white men were systematically shut out of opportunities due to racism. Mollie and Mark also review Late Night and argue about the aesthetics and message of Chuck Jones' 1966 How the Grinch Stole Christmas!The Federalist is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, Kenneth Calvert, professor of history and director of the Oxford Program at Hillsdale College, joins Federalist Senior Elections Correspondent Matt Kittle to discuss the historical reasons for celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25 and explain the importance of Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection.The Federalist Foundation is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, Rep. Jim Jordan and Sen. Ron Johnson join Federalist Senior Elections Correspondent Matt Kittle to talk shop about Americans' affordability concerns, give an update on the investigation into Biden's targeting of conservatives, and explain the ongoing investigation into fallout from Covid shots.The Federalist Foundation is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going

On this episode of “The Kylee Cast,” Ericka Andersen, a Christian mom, writer, and author of the forthcoming book “Freely Sober,” joins Kylee Griswold to share how she found freedom from alcohol addiction. They discuss how the pressures of womanhood and “wine mom” culture encourage women to drink, why willpower often isn’t enough to stop, how the church can help people who are struggling, and the role of faith in recovery. Find Ericka’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Freely-Sober-Rethinking-Alcohwineol-Through/dp/1514013363?sr=8-1Find more resources at SobrietyCurious.com.The Federalist Foundation is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

Join Washington Examiner Senior Writer David Harsanyi and Federalist Editor-In-Chief Mollie Hemingway as they analyze the Trump White House's decision to entertain a sit-down with Vanity Fair, discuss the Islamic terrorist attack on Jews at Bondi Beach and the shooting at Brown University, and examine emails showing the FBI did not believe there was probable cause to raid President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence. They also share their thoughts on Trump's response to the murder of Rob Reiner and review several books and movies, including Hamnet.The Federalist is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

"Real journalism requires real courage." On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, Federalist CEO Sean Davis and Federalist Senior Legal Correspondent Margot Cleveland join Federalist Senior Elections Correspondent Matt Kittle to recap the Russia collusion hoax reporting that won The Federalist Staff the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. Read more of The Federalist's award-winning journalism exposing the plot to destroy President Donald Trump here.The Federalist Foundation is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

On this episode of The Federalist Radio Hour, Brian Blase, president of Paragon Health Institute and former special assistant to the president for economic policy at the White House, joins Federalist Senior Elections Correspondent Matt Kittle to discuss Obamacare's consequences for American healthcare, explain how ongoing subsidies fuel inflation, and outline the future of healthcare policy reform. The Federalist Foundation is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.

On this episode of “The Kylee Cast,” author and speaker Walt Heyer joins Kylee Griswold to tell the story of how he lived eight years as “Laura Jensen,” only to become a Christian and rediscover the man God designed him to be. They also discuss why cross-dressing kids is child abuse, how trans activists manipulate language, and how to find a good trauma therapist.Find more of Walt’s work here: https://waltheyer.com/Buy Walt's latest book, "Embracing God's Design" here: https://www.amazon.com/Embracing-Gods-Design-Psychological-Transgender/dp/1956454993?sr=8-6Find “Embracing God’s Design” companion videos here: https://embracethedesign.com/The Federalist Foundation is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.