RECAP: Is it just me, or has January felt like an entire year?

HOUSTON – Is it just me, or has January 2025 felt like an entire year packed into just a few weeks?

It started with tragedy—a deadly attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans and a Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas—setting a dramatic tone for the rest of the month.

As we wrap up these whirlwind 31 days, let’s take a look back at everything that’s happened. From politics to social media bans, memorable crimes to historic weather, it’s been a MONTH that felt like an entire year.

Let’s just hope February gives us all a breather.

A month in review: January 2025

Week 1: A chaotic start

• Jan. 1 – Tragedy strikes Bourbon Street in New Orleans with a deadly attack. Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, a Tesla Cybertruck explodes outside Trump’s hotel.
• Jan. 2 – YouTuber Corey Pritchett is charged.
• Jan. 3 – Chick-fil-A makes waves by changing its fries, sparking debate among fast-food fans.
• Jan. 7 – Los Angeles wildfires break out, adding to the already tumultuous start of the year.

Week 2: Crime, tragedy, and TikTok ban

• Jan. 15 – A Brazoria County deputy is shot, and a K9 officer is injured in a violent confrontation.
• Jan. 17 – Justice is served as Audrii Cunningham’s killer is sentenced.
• Jan. 18 – TikTok users panic as the app goes dark for several hours. The outage turns out to be more than a glitch—Congress passes the PAFACA Act, banning TikTok in the U.S.
• Jan. 19 – The crackdown continues as Bytedance and its affiliated companies are banned from the U.S. due to security concerns.

Week 3: Political shake-ups and historic weather

• Jan. 20 – Inauguration Day. Joe Biden peacefully transfer power to Donald Trump. Among the Trump administration’s first actions: A 75-day pause on the TikTok ban to reassess security concerns and explore a potential U.S. buyer. On President Trump’s first day in office, he signed a list of executive orders focused on energy independence, environmental agreements, and federal government restructuring.
• Jan. 21 – A rare winter storm blankets Texas, New Orleans, and even parts of Florida in snow. On the same day, a major executive order signed by Trump eliminates DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs in the federal workforce.

Week 4: More executive orders and major developments

• Jan. 22 – The U.S. re-designates Ansar Allah (the Houthis) as a foreign terrorist organization, reversing a previous decision.
• Jan. 23 – A flurry of executive orders signed by Trump reshapes policies on AI, science, and national records: Revoking past barriers to American AI innovation. Establishing the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Ordering the release of all federal records related to the assassinations of JFK, RFK, and MLK Jr. Promoting U.S. leadership in digital assets and financial technology.
• Jan. 24 – More executive orders by Trump target abortion funding, FEMA restructuring, and California wildfire response.

Final Days: More policies and unsettling news

• Jan. 27 – The DEA Houston office assists in deportation efforts across Harris County. Additional executive orders abolish DEI offices in the Defense Department and Homeland Security, reinstate service members discharged over COVID-19 vaccine refusals, and launch “The Iron Dome for America” initiative.
• Jan. 29 – Tragedy strikes again when an American Airlines plane collides with a military Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport. Another executive order bars individuals with gender dysphoria or non-traditional pronoun use from serving in the military.

With so many major events packed into just one month, 2025 is off to an intense start. Whether it’s politics, crime, social media bans, or historic weather, this January has been one for the books.

Let’s all collectively cross our fingers for a calmer February.