--- title: Biggest Moments in U.S. Politics 2023 description: Take a look at some of the biggest moments in U.S. politics from 2023 with TIME Senior Politics reporter Brian Bennett. canonical: https://time.com/6548806/biggest-moments-politics-2023/ author: Jeannie Kopstein article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2023-12-18T18:48:26.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-19T07:29:22.110Z article:section: Politics og:title: Biggest Moments in U.S. Politics 2023 og:description: Take a look at some of the biggest moments in U.S. politics from 2023 with TIME Senior Politics reporter Brian Bennett. og:url: https://time.com/6548806/biggest-moments-politics-2023/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltccc7afd55a108fac/698a435d16d8845f47c3c98a/MAIN_PIC.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3724 og:image:height: 2095 og:image:alt: Daily Life In Washington DC og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Biggest Moments in U.S. Politics 2023 twitter:description: Take a look at some of the biggest moments in U.S. politics from 2023 with TIME Senior Politics reporter Brian Bennett. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltccc7afd55a108fac/698a435d16d8845f47c3c98a/MAIN_PIC.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Biggest Moments in U.S. Politics From 2023 > Sponsored content. 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Take a look at some of the biggest moments in U.S. politics from 2023 with TIME Senior Politics reporter Brian Bennett._ by [Jeannie Kopstein](https://time.com/author/jeannie-kopstein/) and [Brian Bennett](https://time.com/author/brian-bennett/) Dec 18, 2023 6:48 PM UTC Take a look at some of the biggest moments in U.S. politics from 2023 with TIME Senior Politics reporter Brian Bennett. by [Jeannie Kopstein](https://time.com/author/jeannie-kopstein/) and [Brian Bennett](https://time.com/author/brian-bennett/) Dec 18, 2023 6:48 PM UTC Take a look at some of the biggest moments in U.S. politics from 2023 with TIME Senior Politics reporter Brian Bennett. ## Transcript [00:09] It's been quite a year in Washington. [00:10] So let's remind the tape and look at the year the beginning [00:13] of the year President Biden ended Federal government's [00:16] covid-19 emergency measures then in February a Chinese spy balloon [00:21] Traverse the entire United States President Biden have to decide [00:24] what to do about it. [00:26] Today, I was briefed on the Ballon d'Or in the Pentagon [00:30] to shoot it down on Wednesday as soon as possible whole incident [00:34] led to a major Rift between the US and China to nuclear Powers. [00:38] They had to find a way back to diplomacy fighting that was she [00:43] doing thing the Chinese president outside of San Francisco [00:45] in November to try to re-establish the communication. [00:48] Biden said that he and Ukraine and push for Congress to send [00:52] more money for key to defend itself from Russian aggression. [00:55] Now on Israel fighting came out very strong support of the Israeli [00:59] government to hackers attacked by Hamas on October 7th in this [01:03] moment of tragedy. [01:04] I want to say to them into the world and the terrorists [01:07] everywhere at the United States stands with Israel will make [01:11] sure that they have the help their Citizens need and they can [01:14] continue to defend themselves facing pressure within his own [01:17] party to call for a ceasefire and Gaza. [01:20] We need a permanent ceasefire now we need to end the mass murder [01:24] of Palestinians have Palestinian children [01:37] So to push forward on its support for Israel and Ukraine [01:39] Biden, they too dangerous trips one. [01:42] He took Night Train in the key key to still within rocket [01:46] distance of Russian Artillery and met with Ukrainian President [01:51] Vladimir zelensky inside Keith. [01:53] And then also shortly after the October 7th attacks he flew [01:58] into Israel to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin [02:00] Netanyahu. This was also the year that President Biden announced [02:04] that he was going to run for a second term. [02:05] He announced his candidacy for Emily and April and he doesn't [02:10] have any major challenges not Democratic primaries begin early [02:14] next year that will create a major moment where Biden campaign [02:18] will try to set up a contrast. [02:20] Assuming the from President Trump is Republican nominee. [02:24] Biden will try to describe the voters that he's been a steady [02:28] hand and government for 4 years and that Donald Trump bring [02:31] back a pattern of Destruction or let's talk about Congress [02:36] this year Republicans took over the house at the beginning [02:39] of the year and there's been a lot of infighting all year. [02:42] He got off to a rocky start it took 15 rounds of voting for [02:46] Kevin McCarthy. Do we elect the speaker in the first place? [02:48] Not been elected speaker has not been elected not been elected [03:02] not been elected not been elected. [03:04] Not been elected. [03:06] Not been elected not been elected. [03:09] Well Republicans in the house finally elected as Speaker [03:13] post-midnight early on Saturday after Kevin McCarthy acquiesce [03:16] to the demands of the most extreme members of his caucus, [03:19] but he was ousted nine months later. [03:21] They were contentious speaker votes in October and Mike Johnson [03:25] is now the Speaker of the House the car if he didn't even want to [03:28] finish out his term and after 17 years in Congress said he [03:31] would resign at the end of the year will be departing the house [03:36] at the end of this year. [03:36] I will never ever give up fighting for this country that I love [03:42] so much and this is also a year when the Senate Judiciary [03:45] Committee held a hearing on Ticketmaster and weather was acting [03:48] like Monopoly who is Taylor Swift concert and the trouble [03:52] that are fantastic getting tickets that forced to send it to take up [03:56] this issue the Senators took that moment to use a lot of Taylor [03:59] Swift song title funds as a load to Taylor Swift. [04:03] I will say we know all too. [04:06] Well, she's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers. [04:09] Taylor Swift to have written a song about this very situation [04:12] a few million Taylor Swift. [04:13] This is why we can't have nice things people seem to think [04:18] that somehow a solution. [04:20] I think it's it. [04:21] It's a nightmare dressed like a Daydream Ticketmaster [04:23] Auto look in the mirror and say I'm the problem, [04:27] it's me and may House Republicans threatened to let the US default [04:32] on its debt and a lot of brinkmanship Republicans and the White [04:36] House came to a deal that prevented the US from defaulting. [04:39] They punted the ceiling fight two after the presidential [04:43] election in the beginning of 2025 in September House Republicans [04:47] decide to launch a formal impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden [04:50] today. I am directing our house committee to open a formal [04:55] impeachment inquiry into President. [04:58] Joe Biden House. [04:59] Republicans are trying to make the case that Joe Biden somehow [05:03] profited from his son Hunter Biden's overseas business deal, [05:06] but so far there hasn't been evidence of that. [05:08] Also in September. [05:10] Democratic senator Bob Menendez who represents New Jersey [05:13] was indicted on federal corruption charges prosecutor [05:16] filed the charges. [05:17] They also showed photographs of gold bars and stacks of cash. [05:21] The prosecutors say were bribed the Menendez and then there's [05:25] George Santa's the first-term Republican from New York was expelled [05:29] from Congress in December. [05:30] It took three votes to get there in the end 105 Republicans [05:34] joined Democrats in the house to expel Santa's. [05:36] There were concerns over him fabricating his resume lying about [05:40] his past and also he faces federal charges for money laundering [05:43] Dept of public funds and making false statements Santos denies [05:47] wrongdoing and hundreds of requests record personalized [05:53] videos on the website Cameo. [05:54] My favorite song is definitely going to be trouble trouble [06:01] when there are big changes in the Senate this year Senator [06:07] Dianne Feinstein died after a groundbreaking Thirty years in the [06:10] Senate California governor Gavin Newsom appointed laphonza [06:14] Butler to fill her senate seat Butler's been a powerful [06:17] Union organizer in the state and was ahead of Emily's List a group [06:21] that works to elect women candidates who favor of abortion [06:24] rights, Joe manchin said he wouldn't run for re-election. [06:27] This is a big deal because the West Virginia senator is a Democrat [06:31] winning in a largely Red State and his bowing out of the race [06:36] in 2024 could lead to another Republican seat being out in the [06:41] Senate the Senate is nearly to buy the right now and that could [06:44] affect the balance of power. [06:45] Also this year to campus debates over Free Speech came to Washington [06:49] University have been criticized for failing to protect you as [06:53] students from an increase in anti-semitic attacks during Israel's [06:56] war and Gaza three University presidents were called to testify [06:59] before the house education committee University of Pennsylvania [07:02] president resigned under pressure after her response to questioning. [07:05] Why does that Professor still have a job at your University? [07:10] Very troubled by what you're describing Congressman that kind [07:14] of spending it you allow these professors to teach at your college. [07:22] You create a safe haven for this type of anti-Semitic [07:25] Behavior. [07:30] Here's a few cases to highlight from the Supreme Court this [07:32] year bring for ruled that map of hearthstone abortion drug can [07:35] remain on us markets. [07:36] The decision is seen as a victory for the national abortion [07:39] rights movement the court overturned Alabama election day in the [07:42] state of diluted the power black voters by drawing a map with [07:45] only one black District Court also ruled that race-conscious [07:48] admissions processes at Harvard and North Carolina or unlawful. [07:53] This could have sweeping impact on admissions at universities [07:57] across the United States as universities try to find out how [08:01] to have student bodies that reflect the makeup of the country [08:05] without running afoul of Supreme Courts to do the court also [08:09] ruled that a web designer has the right to refuse service [08:11] to same-sex couples, which was a setback for lgbtq plus price. [08:16] Supreme Court also dealt a blow to President Joe Biden's [08:19] effort to forgive large amount of student loan debt. [08:22] The Court ruled that the heroes act allow that President [08:26] Biden was using to allow people to delay payments on student [08:31] loans and forgive large portions of them did not Grant the president [08:35] the right to do that. [08:36] And so the president has had to go back to the drawing board [08:39] and find new mechanisms within the role of the executive. [08:52] We will probably just do approaching a different walk with my [08:55] original plan for so-called higher education in a major story [09:00] this year. The Supreme Court wasn't even about the ruling. [09:03] It was about the Justice news reports show that Justice Clarence [09:07] Thomas hadn't disclosed luxury trips with Republican donor [09:10] Harlan Crow and other transactions going back twenty years. [09:13] So that Justice is under pressure came up with the Netflix [09:17] code that they released but there's no mechanism to enforce [09:20] it. It's really on the justices themselves in an honor System [09:23] to abide by then. [09:25] And also this year former President Donald Trump walk into this [09:30] court house and became the first former president to ever be formally [09:35] indicted and arraigned on federal charges. [09:38] He's facing charges here for trying to overturn the 2020 election [09:43] and setting in motion a series of events that led to the January [09:47] 6th violent assault on the US Capitol President Trump is also [09:50] facing charges in three other courtrooms. [09:53] Not one charge but 91 charges and the outcome of those cases [09:58] that will play out over the next couple of years could very [10:02] well determine Donald Trump's political future and how the justice [10:05] system can deal with former president was also running for office [10:10] and facing charges at the same time. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6548806/biggest-moments-politics-2023/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6548806/biggest-moments-politics-2023/"},"headline":"The Biggest Moments in U.S. Politics From 2023","datePublished":"2023-12-18T18:48:26.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-19T07:29:22.110Z","description":"Take a look at some of the biggest moments in U.S. politics from 2023 with TIME Senior Politics reporter Brian Bennett.","url":"https://time.com/6548806/biggest-moments-politics-2023/","keywords":["The D.C. 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