2025 brought in a great deal of change. Join the Tribune Editorial Board and opinion team as we reflect on the events that shaped the year. Each piece gives an overview of some of the biggest debates that shaped our city, nation and world in 2025 and what writers in our section had to say about it. After reading, test your knowledge with our 2025 news quiz.
Life in Chicagoland as told through Tribune editorials
Metra retires its 10-ride pass. Madigan jurors hear the sad ballad of Mike and Mike. A progressive cycling alderman tries and fails to change Chicago’s speed limit. A history of public ownership ends at Walgreens. JoAnn Fabrics hangs it up. Da Pope is a real headline. We lose Norm, but offer cheers to George Wendt. And we mourn the death of R. Bruce Dold, one of the giants of Chicago journalism and one of our own. Here’s our first collection, focused on the little joys and big irritations of life in Chicagoland, 2025 edition. Read the full story.
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s year through the lens of Tribune editorials
Chicago’s mayors have been the subject of Tribune editorials for pretty much this newspaper’s entire 178-year history. But few of the city’s chief executives have made as many appearances on the editorial pages in a single year as has Mayor Brandon Johnson, whose 2025 was filled with conflict, ending with a grand December debacle at the City Council over the city’s budget. Here’s a revealing look back at 2025 editorials featuring Johnson. Read the full story.
Aggressive federal immigration enforcement roils Chicago
2025 will be remembered by most Chicagoans for the arrival here of the Border Patrol, which joined agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement in aggressive enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws, as directed by the president of the United States. Accompanied by protesters wherever they went, the agents arrested people throughout the city, often in ways more associated with military-style governments. Here is our look back at what the Tribune Editorial Board had to say about their action. Read the full story.
Chicago’s yearlong fight against violent crime
Chicago’s struggles around public safety were the subject of many Chicago Tribune editorials in 2025. We focus on both the politics and the human costs of violent crime and our collective search for solutions. Read the full story.
A look back at the impact of the Trump administration through op-eds
President Donald Trump promised during his inaugural speech that his second term would usher in a “golden age,” and he promptly signed a flurry of executive orders in his first 100 days, more than any other U.S. president. The changes that came in subsequent months have left many Americans reeling. The contributors to our commentary section have examined what this new age of executive power means and how it is affecting Americans and people around the world. Read the full story.
A look back at immigration enforcement raids in Chicago through op-eds
Masked Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs and Enforcement agents spread out on the streets of Chicago and its suburbs to ramp up arrests, and their often brutal tactics were met with resistance. Protests increased at the Broadview detention facility, and neighbors in Chicago and its suburbs blew whistles and created informal community groups. Our commentary from this chaotic time examined the actions and decisions of federal immigration agents and how Chicagoans responded and found solidarity during the worst moments of the blitz. Read the full story.
A look back at Chicago’s affordable housing debate through op-eds
Chicago does not have enough affordable housing. In fact, the area needs 142,000 units, and one report released in June said the region must build 227,000 in the next five years to keep pace with demand. Mayor Brandon Johnson kicked off a stormy battle in the City Council this summer and presided over the passage of two ordinances that act as first steps in chipping away at Chicago’s problem. First, he revived an ordinance to make “granny flats,” or accessory dwelling units, legal again throughout Chicago — albeit with some compromises. Second, the mayor championed a ban on parking space minimums in buildings near public transit. Contributors to our op-ed section wrote thoughtfully on how Chicago can quickly develop the amount of housing needed while respecting the realities and demands of life in a city. Read the full story.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/29/opinion-series-2025-in-review/
