President Ronald Reagan once said: “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But the Marines don’t have that problem.”
The same might be said of 2024, which saw a number of firsts that left a lasting impression on the world.
Harvard President Resigns
Harvard President Claudine Gay resigned on Jan. 2, about two months after she and other university administrators were questioned about anti-Semitism on their campuses.Under questioning from Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), a Harvard alumna, Gay said that students calling for the genocide of Jews did not necessarily violate Harvard’s code of conduct.
Gay later apologized for the remarks.
The U.S. Department of Education announced an investigation in late November 2023 into Harvard in light of anti-Semitism on its campus.
Nearly 27 percent of Harvard students are Jewish.
The resignation was the third among Ivy League presidents who faced pressure from donors and lawmakers over their handling of campus protests regarding the Israel–Hamas war.
McConnell Steps Down
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced on Feb. 28 that he would step down at the end of the year but remain in the Senate.McConnell, 82, is the longest-serving party leader in Senate history. He faced persistent opposition from some Republican senators who disagreed with his efforts to continue funding Ukraine in its war with Russia.
McConnell will be succeeded by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) on Jan. 3, 2025.
Terrorist Attack in Russia Kills 145
A terrorist attack on a concert hall near Moscow killed at least 145 people and injured 180 on March 22.The ISIS terrorist group claimed responsibility, but Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged in a televised address that the perpetrators had attempted to flee to Ukraine.
On June 23, terrorists attacked two cities in the Russian Republic of Dagestan, striking two synagogues, two churches, and a police post. At least 21 people were killed and 46 were injured.
Ship Topples Key Bridge in Baltimore
A cargo ship collided with a supporting pillar of the 47-year-old Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, hurling steel, concrete, and people into the water. Six people died. Two were rescued.The incident closed Baltimore Harbor for 11 weeks, causing a major disruption to U.S. shipping.
The bridge, which was part of Interstate 695, remains closed, causing some 31,000 vehicles per day to travel alternate routes.
Israel, Iran Trade Strikes
Iran launched more than 300 cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones in its first direct attack on Israel on April 13.Israel said that it intercepted 99 percent of the weapons with cooperation from the United States and other allied forces.
A few missiles got through the defenses and caused minor damage to an Israeli military installation.
The attack appeared to be in retaliation for an April 1 airstrike on the Iranian Embassy in Syria that killed two Iranian generals.
After an apparent Israeli airstrike on an Iranian air base on April 19, both sides downplayed the incident, temporarily easing tensions between the two nations.
Pro-Palestinian Protesters Occupy Campuses
Protesters demanding an end to the war in the Gaza Strip and divestment from Israel staged demonstrations on more than 80 campuses in at least 30 states in April and May.Some demonstrators occupied buildings, skirmished with counterprotesters, and created encampments in public spaces, resulting in hundreds of arrests.
The protests were the largest display of campus unrest since the anti-apartheid demonstrations of the 1980s.
Trump Convicted
Former President Donald Trump on May 30 became the first former president convicted of a crime.A New York state jury found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, a crime normally prosecuted as a misdemeanor.
Trump maintained that this case, along with others against him, was politically motivated.
Shortly after the conviction was announced, he told reporters: “The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people. And they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here.”
Trump was a defendant in three other criminal cases in 2024.
A federal case in Washington related to alleged election interference was dropped after Trump won reelection.
The prosecutor in a federal case in Florida related to Trump’s retention of classified documents withdrew his appeal of an earlier decision by the judge to toss the case.
A state case in Georgia alleging a scheme related to the 2020 election remains in jeopardy after an appeals court ruled in December that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office were disqualified from prosecuting the case against Trump. A judge had earlier ordered the special prosecutor removed from the case for conduct that created an appearance of impropriety.
The president-elect will be immune from prosecution during his term in office, which begins on Jan. 20.
Trump Survives 2 Assassination Attempts
Trump survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.A 20-year-old gunman gained access to a roof approximately 400 feet from Trump at an outdoor rally and fired four shots, one striking Trump in the right ear.
One bystander was killed and two others were wounded.
The gunman was killed by the Secret Service.
Trump dropped to the ground but soon rose, surrounded by Secret Service agents.
His ear bloodied and his fist raised, Trump shouted, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
The moment provided one of the most vivid images in presidential history and sparked bipartisan criticism of Kimberly Cheatle, Secret Service director, who resigned 10 days later.
On Sept. 16, another gunman was apprehended in Florida after allegedly lying in wait for the former president with a rifle at the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach.
On Nov. 19, the FBI announced that it had foiled an assassination plot against Trump by the government of Iran.
Nvidia Becomes Largest US Company
Nvidia surpassed Apple on June 18 to become the world’s most valuable company.Demand for its artificial intelligence (AI) chips fueled the surge in its stock price.
Lawmakers noted the company’s rise along with investors.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called for an antitrust investigation of Nvidia, which she said controls about 90 percent of the high-end AI chip market and 98 percent of the graphics processing unit market.
Biden Withdraws From Presidential Race
President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential campaign on July 21 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.Biden made the decision barely three weeks after a poor debate performance with Trump, where he appeared to have difficulty remembering facts and completing sentences.
Following the debate, several prominent Democrats called for Biden to step aside.
The announcement upended what many observers called the most consequential presidential race in recent history just weeks before the election.
Harris was formally declared the replacement nominee on Aug. 2 after a virtual roll call of Democrat delegates. She introduced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on Aug. 6.
No other presidential candidate has withdrawn from a reelection campaign that far into the race.
Lyndon Johnson ended his campaign on March 31, 1968.
Harry Truman withdrew from his reelection bid on March 29, 1952.
Israel Kills Top Leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah
Israel claimed responsibility on Aug. 1 for a July airstrike in the Gaza Strip that killed Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif.The announcement was made a day after the apparent Israeli assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, and not long after Israel’s killing of a Hezbollah commander in Beirut, Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “[We] will exact a heavy price from any aggression against us on any front.”
Prisoner Exchange Frees Americans in Russia
Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison for espionage, was freed on Aug. 1 along with three others in a multinational prisoner exchange with Russia.The U.S. government said Gershkovich’s trial was politically motivated.
Also freed were U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, and Russian British journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Ukraine Invades Russia
Two and a half years after Russia invaded Ukraine, Ukrainian armed forces invaded the Kursk Oblast Region of Russia.The Aug. 6 surprise attack marked a change of momentum in the war, which had become a grinding conflict that produced small territorial gains but significant numbers of casualties.
Ukrainian forces intended to use the attack to draw Russian troops out of the occupied Ukrainian territory of Donetsk. Ukraine claimed to control about 444 square miles of Kursk by Aug. 15.
The offensive raised morale in Ukraine, although Russia counterattacked weeks later and regained much of the territory.
CCP Agent Arrested in New York State
The FBI arrested a former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sept. 3 for spying on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).Linda Sun and her husband, Christopher Hu, were both charged with multiple crimes.
On Dec. 10, federal agents arrested a Chinese national suspected of flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and taking photos of the SpaceX rocket pads on the day a contractor launched a national reconnaissance payload.
The arrests are the latest in a string of arrests of people suspected of espionage on behalf of the CCP.
Also in 2024, two Chinese nationals and two U.S. citizens pleaded guilty to federal charges related to spying for the CCP in three separate cases.
Exploding Pagers Kill, Injure Hezbollah Members
Pagers and walkie-talkies exploded in a series of incidents on Sept. 17 and 18, killing dozens and wounding thousands across Lebanon.Hezbollah leaders said through an intermediary that members of various Hezbollah-aligned military units and political institutions were injured in the blasts.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Sept. 22 that his country was not involved in the attacks.
However, two men who identified themselves as retired Israeli intelligence agents said in a “60 Minutes” interview on Dec. 22 that Israel had undertaken the operation, which was some 10 years in the making.
Hurricane Helene Batters Southeast
Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 26 to become the deadliest hurricane in the continental United States since Katrina in 2005.Helene, a Category 4 hurricane, caused more than 150 direct fatalities, mostly in North Carolina and South Carolina. Helene also created storm surges and flooding in the Florida Gulf Coast and western North Carolina.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season brought an above-average number of named storms at 18.
Named storms are organized cyclones with sustained winds of 39 mph or more.
Of the 18 storms, 11 were hurricanes, having sustained winds of at least 73 mph, and five were classified as major hurricanes, having sustained winds of at least 111 mph.
The average number of named storms per season is 14, including seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Settlement Allows College Athletes to Be Paid
A federal judge approved a preliminary legal settlement on Oct. 7 that will allow schools to pay college athletes.The move is likely to transform college athletics by funneling millions of dollars to elite players.
If finalized in April 2025, the settlement will establish a pool of $21.5 million to be distributed among college athletes in the first year of the arrangement.
NCAA rules were changed in 2021 to allow college athletes to profit from licensing rights to their name, image, and likeness, although restrictions vary among states and universities.
SpaceX Catches Rocket
SpaceX caught a giant booster rocket, part of its Starship system, with a pair of mechanical arms as it arrived back at the launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, after propelling a craft toward space on Oct. 13.The first-ever such landing was a milestone in the campaign to create a fully reusable rocket.
Starship, when fully tested, is intended for use in landing astronauts on the moon’s south pole, according to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who sent congratulations.
The most recent American lunar landing was 52 years ago.
Trump Defeats Harris, GOP Captures Senate, Keeps House
Trump defeated Harris in the Nov. 5 presidential election, becoming just the second president to serve a nonconsecutive term.The victory capped a historic political comeback by Trump after his loss in the 2020 election.
Republicans also gained control of the Senate and maintained a narrow majority in the House of Representatives.
The outcome offers Trump a second chance at implementing his “America First” agenda, which focuses on border security, stimulating the economy by increasing domestic energy production, and increasing U.S. manufacturing through a system of tax incentives for domestic manufacturers and tariffs on imported goods.
CCP Hacks US Telecom
Chinese regime-sponsored hackers breached several U.S. telecommunication providers and stole customer call records and private communications from people involved in government or political activity, federal officials announced on Nov. 13.The joint statement by the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency appeared to suggest that the breach may have targeted programs covered by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The full extent of the breach is not yet known.
One of the hacker groups is believed to have breached AT&T, CenturyLink, Verizon, and other telecom providers and to have targeted Trump and Harris.
The cyberattack has been in progress since at least 2021 and is ongoing.
Biden Pardons His Son
President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter on Dec. 1, sparing him jail time for tax evasion and firearms charges to which he had pleaded guilty.The blanket pardon also covers any federal offenses Hunter Biden may have committed from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 1, 2024.
Before Hunter Biden’s conviction, President Biden said he would not grant his son a pardon.
Some Republicans and Democrats criticized Biden for abuse of the pardon power. Yet two other presidents have pardoned relatives or their extended family members.
In 2001 Bill Clinton pardoned his brother, Roger Clinton, for 1985 convictions on drug charges.
Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, in 2020.
The elder Kushner was convicted on charges of fraud and retaliation against a witness in 2005.
On Dec. 23, Biden commuted the sentences of all but three federal convicts awaiting execution on death row.
Health Insurance CEO Gunned Down
The CEO of UnitedHealthcare was gunned down on a sidewalk in New York City on Dec. 4.The killer lay in wait for Brian Thompson, 50, and apparently intended to use the killing to draw attention to perceived abuses in the health insurance industry.
Luigi Mangione, 26, has been arrested and charged with multiple state and federal offenses in connection with the crime.
The murder elicited both outrage over the brazen act of violence and a rash of caustic social media posts expressing contempt for health insurance companies over their perceived unfair treatment of customers.
Notre Dame Cathedral Reopens
Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, nearly destroyed by fire in 2019, reopened on Dec. 7.Trump was one of some 50 foreign leaders invited by French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the ceremonies.
Trump and Macron were both in office when Notre Dame burned.
As the symbol of Paris reopened, Trump was poised to complete one of the most remarkable political comebacks in American history as his French counterpart struggled to retain power.
Trump met with Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris just before the reopening ceremonies.
Assad Regime Falls
The Arab Spring, which began with popular protests across the Arab world in the early 2010s, bore fruit on Dec. 7 as Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad fled the country, with rebel groups closing in on Damascus.Assad’s exit brought his 24 years in power to an end, although various rebel groups now occupy portions of the country.
Trump said on Jan. 20 that Turkey, a NATO country, will hold the “key to Syria,” as most of the rebel groups controlling territory in Syria are “controlled by Turkey.”
French judges issued an international arrest warrant for Assad and other Syrian officials in November 2023 for the use of chemical weapons against civilians in the Syrian civil war.
Assad has been given sanctuary in Moscow.
