Most Notable Political News Headlines Over the Last Week

There is no doubt that the biggest news out of Washington, D.C. this week has been the major shift in trade policy rolled out by the Trump administration on Wednesday. Billed by President Donald Trump as "Liberation Day," the announcement from the White House Rose Garden detailed sweeping tariffs on nearly all goods coming into the U.S. But that was not the only news in the political sphere. Read on for more details about what else was happening in politics this week.

Stocks Tumble After Sweeping Tariffs Announcement

Wall Street did not react favorably to the news of President Trump's sweeping tariffs. The Dow finished the trading day Thursday with a loss of 3.98%, falling by 1,679 points. The S&P 500 landed down 4.84% while the tech-forward Nasdaq lost an eye-popping 5.97% on the heels of the news. The losses were the largest single-day drops since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic for all three major indexes.

The news was nearly as dire coming out of the global markets. Europe's STOXX 600 index dropped by 2.57%, erasing all the gains for this market since the beginning of 2025. Germany's DAX index suffered a similar fate, finishing the day down 3%. Meanwhile, France's benchmark index notched its largest single-day loss dating back to July 2023 when it fell by 3.31%. Asian markets also tumbled on the news with Japan’s Nikkei 225 index down 2.77% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index sliding by 1.52%.

Nearly every industry was touched by the spiral. While technology stocks suffered some of the largest losses of the day, restaurants, travel, and retail industries were also notably hit hard as consumers worry that they need to rein in spending as a result of the increased prices of goods across the board.

President Trump did not appear to be concerned about the massive losses. The president appeared in front of reporters on the South Lawn of the White House on Thursday afternoon, telling reporters that the stock market will begin to boom soon.

Justice Department Will Seek Death Penalty for Luigi Mangione

Holding true to a promise that President Trump made when starting his second term in January, the U.S. Justice Department announced that it will go after the death penalty in connection with the case against Luigi Mangione. The 26-year-old is currently in jail after being charged with shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December of 2024 in Manhattan.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed on Tuesday that the Justice Department plans to seek the death penalty in the case. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state charges against him. He is also facing federal charges, however, he has not been formally indicted on these yet.

Bondi is following the directive of the president in seeking the death penalty should Mangione be convicted. Trump issued an executive order shortly after returning to the White House, instructing the nation's top attorney general to go after the death penalty when appropriate.

Senator Cory Booker Sets New Record for Longest Speech in the Chamber

Senator Cory Booker now holds the record for the longest speech on the Senate floor. The Democrat from New Jersey broke the record on Tuesday evening after speaking for 25 hours and 4 minutes without taking any breaks. Booker started his speech at 7 pm ET on Monday, speaking through the night with the moral support of some of his Democratic colleagues and his staff.

Booker and his party are facing criticism about what they are doing to push back on Trump's policies. As a top-ranking member in the Senate, Booker used his hours behind the podium to criticize Trump's policies since taking office for the second term. The previous record for the longest speech on the Senate floor was 24 hours and 18 minutes, dating back to Sen. Strom Thurmond's marathon session in 1957.

Special Election Results a Mixed Bag

There were three major special elections held on Tuesday, with political experts looking to all the results as a signal of how Americans are feeling about the Trump administration. The GOP came out on top in Florida, holding two key seats in the House of Representatives. The victories helped the party to keep their narrow edge in the House. Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine won their special elections to lend an assist to the Republicans.

Up in Wisconsin, it was the Democrats that were celebrating on Tuesday night when a liberal candidate came out on top in the state's Supreme Court election. Susan Crawford's win will ensure that the liberals remain in control of the judicial branch of the government in Wisconsin. This is a crucial win for the Democrats as Wisconsin is a battleground state.

Crawford's win was a big loss for the Republicans who poured significant amounts of money into the contest. President Donald Trump was vocal about asking his supporters in Wisconsin to support conservative candidate Judge Brad Schimel. Meanwhile, Elon Musk spent millions of his money to boost Schimel's campaign. Musk also hosted a rally in Green Bay just days before the election in an effort to drum up support.

Trump Criticizes Russian President Vladimir Putin

In a rare rebuke against the Russians, President Donald Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin during an interview with NBC News on Sunday. Trump told Kristen Welker that he was upset with Putin after he attempted to disparage the credibility of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump threatened to levy secondary sanctions on Russia if Putin did not work harder to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine. The war between Russia and Ukraine has now been going on for over three years.

Comedian Canceled at Annual White House Correspondents’ Association Event

The White House Correspondents' Association event will look a little different this year. The association announced that it is cancelling the comedian scheduled to perform at the annual fundraising dinner that is held every April in the nation's capital. Instead, the association's board decided to use the event to honor the press and the right of free speech. The unanimous vote to change the focus of the event comes as tensions continue to grow between the White House and the media that covers the Trump administration.

Comedian Amber Ruffin had been booked to host the event, known for its light-hearted roasts of the sitting president. Trump did not attend the dinner during any of the four years of his previous term. This year's dinner is scheduled for Saturday, April 26.

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