"Zoom in: The assassination of Charlie Kirk, the Turning Point USA co-founder, garnered the most search interest in Axios' analysis of the biggest stories of the year. His murder - which followed a string of political violence both this year and in 2024 - sparked calls for softened political rhetoric for some and prompted finger-pointing from the president and others. It also opened a new chapter - and exposed new fractures - in the MAGA media landscape."
"Trump has tested the bounds of executive power in unprecedented ways throughout the year. Americans were particularly interested in his sweeping tariff agenda, with searches soaring through the winter and spring and smaller spikes throughout the year. Elon Musk-led DOGE sparked searches at the start of the year before dying down as Musk left the Trump administration. Its cuts to federal coffers are expected to have lasting impacts."
"Between the lines: Many of the year's most gripping and high-profile tragedies triggered immediate search interest. The Palisades and Eaton wildfires ripped through Los Angeles County at the start of the year, killing over two dozen people and destroying thousands of structures. Just weeks later, 67 people died in the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster in more than 20 years after an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet collided near Reagan National Airport outside D.C."
Charlie Kirk’s assassination generated the most search interest and followed a string of political violence that prompted calls to soften rhetoric and led to political finger-pointing. The event highlighted and widened fractures within the MAGA media ecosystem. Trump tested executive power throughout the year, driving interest in a sweeping tariff agenda and policy moves that included a Musk-linked DOGE initiative whose fiscal impacts may persist. The 43-day government shutdown prompted surges in SNAP searches. Large anti-Trump “No Kings” rallies broke through the news cycle. Multiple disasters — wildfires, a fatal aviation collision, and central Texas flooding — triggered intense search activity.
Read at Axios
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