Getty Images curated 100 of its most powerful news photographs from 2025, showcasing a year shaped by political upheaval, natural disasters, and major global events. The collection features images of California wildfires, a deadly midair collision over the Potomac, tense political confrontations involving President Trump, humanitarian devastation in Gaza, and historic moments such as the death of former President Jimmy Carter and the election of Pope Leo XIV. These photographs reflect the breadth and impact of global news coverage in 2025.
Getty Images’ 100 Most Powerful News Photos of 2025 — 30 Standout Moments
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 8: The flag-draped casket of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter lies in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 8, 2025 in Washington, DC. Carter's body will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda until a funeral service at the National Cathedral in Washington on January 9. Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024 at his home in Plains, Georgia.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Getty Images has curated what it calls the 100 most powerful news photographs taken by its photojournalists in 2025, compiling images that document a year of intense global events — from political confrontation to natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
MALIBU, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 15: In an aerial view, repair vehicles pass near burnt down beachfront homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire January 15, 2025 in Malibu, California. Multiple wildfires fueled by intense Santa Ana Winds are still burning across Los Angeles County, with at least 25 dead, more than 12,000 structures destroyed or damaged, and 40,000 acres burned. More than 88,000 people remain under evacuation orders as high winds are forecast.Mario Tama/Getty Images
Sandy Ciric, senior director of news photography at Getty Images, told Business Insider the 2025 news calendar was "unrelenting." "From the first days of the new year when devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles, every week brought a barrage of breaking stories — including the death of a US president, a newly elected pope, tariff wars, terror attacks, migration crises, starvation, hostages, plane crashes, floods, heat waves and political upheaval from the US to Nepal and beyond," she said.
CASTAIC, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 22: Firefighters work as the Hughes Fire burns on January 22, 2025 in Castaic, California. The wildfire has spread 9,400 acres and has prompted mandatory evacuations just over two weeks after the Eaton and Palisades Fires caused widespread destruction across Los Angeles County.Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Below are 30 standout images drawn from the full collection of 100 — each capturing a defining moment of the year.
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - JANUARY 30: (EDITORS NOTE: Image contains graphic content) Emergency response units assess airplane wreckage in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. An American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas collided with a helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Key Images and Moments
Jan 8: The casket of former President Jimmy Carter lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda the day before his funeral. Carter died at age 100 in Plains, Georgia; he served as president from 1977 to 1981.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 07: A worker removes the U.S. Agency for International Development sign on their headquarters on February 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) abruptly shutdown the U.S. aid agency earlier this week leaving thousands unemployed and putting U.S. foreign diplomacy and aid programs in limbo.Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images
Jan 15: An aerial shot showed beachfront homes in Malibu, California destroyed by the Palisades Fire. Multiple fires across Los Angeles County, driven by strong winds, caused widespread damage.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 11: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, accompanied by U.S. President Donald Trump (R), and his son X Musk, speaks during an executive order signing in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump is to sign an executive order implementing the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) "workforce optimization initiative," which, according to Trump, will encourage agencies to limit hiring and reduce the size of the federal government.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Jan 22: Firefighters battled the Hughes Fire in Castaic, California, as California wildfires scorched more than 40,000 acres and claimed dozens of lives in January.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 28: U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump and Zelensky are meeting today to negotiate a preliminary agreement on sharing Ukraine's mineral resources that Trump says will allow America to recoup aid provided to Kyiv while supporting Ukraine's economy.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Jan 30: A midair collision between an American Airlines flight and a military helicopter over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 04: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for his speech to a joint session of Congress as Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) holds a sign reading "This is not normal" at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump was expected to address Congress on his early achievements of his presidency and his upcoming legislative agenda.Win McNamee/Getty Images
Feb 7–11: Photos documented changes at federal buildings after the creation of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and a February 11 Oval Office visit where President Donald Trump signed an executive order tied to the department’s workforce initiative.
TITUSVILLE, FLORIDA - MARCH 31: SpaceX launches Falcon 9 Fram2 Mission, from Launch Complex 39A of NASA's Kennedy Space Center on March 31, 2025 in Titusville, Florida. The Fram2, carrying four space tourist astronauts on a low orbit flight, will be the first polar-orbit human spaceflight mission to explore Earth. It will launch into a 90° circular orbit to the south from Florida, making it the first human spaceflight to fly over Earth's polar regions from low-Earth orbit.Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images
Feb 28: A tense White House meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ended without an agreement, capturing the strained diplomacy of the moment.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 6: An employee stands at the United Airlines check-in area at Terminal C of Newark Liberty International Airpor on May 6, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. Passengers traveling to, from, or through Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) have experienced several days of delays and cancellations caused by air traffic control staffing shortages and equipment malfunctions.Andres Kudacki/Getty Images
Mar 4: As President Trump arrived to address Congress, Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury and other lawmakers held protest signs during the joint session.
VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - MAY 11: Pope Leone XIV leads the Regina Caeli prayer in St. Peter's Square on May 11, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Leo XIV (formerly Robert Francis Prevost) was elected to the papacy on May 8 following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.Franco Origlia/Getty Images
Mar 31: SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 Fram2 mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, carrying four space tourists on a low-orbit flight.
LONDON, KENTUCKY - MAY 18: Lesly Karen Cornett stands among the debris of her house on May 18, 2025 in the community of Sunshine Hills outside of London, Kentucky. She and her husband took shelter in their bathtub and were fortunate to only receive a few cuts. A tornado struck the neighborhood of Sunshine Hills just after midnight on May 17, 2025 in London, Kentucky.Michael Swensen/Getty Images
May 6: An exhausted airline employee was photographed at Newark Liberty Airport amid days of delays caused by air traffic staffing and radar outages.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 7: A firework sent by protesters explodes near by the Los Angeles Sheriff Department officers during immigration protest on June 7, 2025 in Paramount, California. Clashes between the U.S. Border Patrol and protestors began after a Home Depot was raided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Around 30 agents wearing tactical gear were stationed near a Home Depot in Paramount and faced off against protesters, south of downtown Los Angeles.Apu Gomes/Getty Images
May 11: After the death of Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV was elected in Vatican City. Reportedly the first US-born pope, his election was one of the year’s historic moments.
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 14: Members of the U.S. Army drive Bradley Fighting Vehicles in the 250th birthday parade on June 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Army is marking its 250th birthday with a military parade including roughly 6,600 troops, 150 vehicles, and over 50 aircraft. The parade, which coincides with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, is designed to tell the history of the Army.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
May 18: A woman stood amid the ruins of her home in London, Kentucky, a day after a tornado struck the region. The storm killed multiple people, according to reports.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA - JUNE 24: U.S. Navy sailors stand along the deck as they prepare for the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to depart from the Naval Station Norfolk on June 24, 2025, in Norfolk, Virginia. The aircraft carrier is leaving on its scheduled deployment to the U.S. European Command area of responsibility. The deployment comes during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Iran.Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Jun 7: Protests in Paramount, California, clashed with U.S. Border Patrol following immigration raids that prompted wider demonstrations across Southern California.
BERLIN, GERMANY - JULY 02: A girl pours water on her head as temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius during a sweltering summer's day on July 02, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. Weather forecasters are predicting record high temperatures for early July today and tomorrow as a heat wave sweeps the country.Maryam Majd/Getty Images
Jun 14: The U.S. Army marked its 250th anniversary with a military parade in Washington, D.C., a large public event that coincided with President Trump’s birthday.
CENTER POINT, TEXAS - JULY 06: Ayzlin Garcia stands in her aunt Audrey's home after it was flooded on July 06, 2025 in Center Point, Texas. "We've lost pretty much everything in our house, but we're blessed because we still have our lives, there are people who didn't make it," said her uncle Nathan. Heavy rainfall caused severe flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas, leaving more than 70 people reported dead.Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Jun 24: The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, deployed to Europe amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.
DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE - JULY 21: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Image taken with an infrared camera) A soldier is rescued from an infantry position using an armored infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) during a medical evacuation conducted by the 505th Separate Marine Battalion on the border between Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions on July 21, 2025 in Donetsk Region, Ukraine.Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images
Jul 2: A woman poured water over her head during a record heat wave in Berlin, where temperatures exceeded 40°C (104°F).
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 24: Federal agents, including members of ICE, drag a man away after his court hearing as they patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on July 24, 2025 in New York City. In a news conference on Monday, Border czar Tom Homan said he is going to "flood" sanctuary cities, including New York City, with ICE agents.Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Jul 6: Flooding in central Texas after torrential rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise dramatically, killing dozens and devastating communities.
GAZA - AUGUST 6: A view from the air as Jordanian air force personnel in a Jordanian C-130 military aircraft perform an air drop of aid and humanitarian supplies on August 6, 2025 in Gaza. On Wednesday, the Royal Jordanian Air Force carried out air drops of food and other aid over Gaza, alongside aircraft from other nations carrying 54 tons of humanitarian supplies. Airdrops of aid have resumed in recent weeks in an attempt to alleviate the severe lack of food and other essentials reaching people in Gaza, where the World Food Programme (WFP) has said over half a million people are enduring famine-like conditions, as Israel continues to restrict the flow of aid.Salah Malkawi/Getty Images
Jul 21: Ukrainian forces conducted a medical evacuation near the front line using armored vehicles; one image was captured with an infrared camera highlighting battlefield conditions.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 07: NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani arrives for a press conference outside of the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on August 07, 2025 in New York City. Mamdani was joined by 32BJ Executive Vice President and Political Director Candis Tall, 1199 SEIU Senior Executive Vice President Nadine Williamson, together with workers from 1199 SEIU, 32BJ SEIU, and the New York State Nurses Association as he responded to Independent Mayoral Candidate Andrew Cuomo cooperating with U. S. President Donald Trump regarding the mayoral election.Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Jul 24: A photograph showed ICE officers removing a man after an immigration hearing in New York City, amid federal plans to increase enforcement in sanctuary cities.
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA - AUGUST 15: U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on August 15, 2025 in Anchorage, Alaska. The two leaders are meeting for peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Aug 6: The Royal Jordanian Air Force airdropped humanitarian aid over Gaza, an image that underscores the large-scale devastation identified in later UN assessments.
KOCHI, INDIA - AUGUST 13: A smaller boat that stores fish halts in stormy weather on August 13, 2025 in Kochi, India. Kerala's fishermen are facing a severe fish scarcity, impacting their livelihoods and leading to empty stalls in local and export markets. U.S. president, Donald Trump, has issued an order mandating a 50 percent tariff on products from India. The US is the largest importer of Indian seafood but it is estimated that the tariff hike will drop the export of shrimp from India by at least 30 percent. Frozen shrimp is the primary seafood export to the US. India has to pay Asia's largest trade tariff on oil imports from Russia.Elke Scholiers/Getty Images
Aug 7: Photos captured Zohran Mamdani at a campaign press conference months before his election as mayor of New York City in November.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 25: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listens to President Donald Trump talk to journalists after signing executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House on August 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. Furthering his federal takeover of the capital city's law enforcement, Trump signed orders ending cashless bail in the District of Columbia, mandating prosecution for people who desecrate the American flag -- including by burning it -- and other orders.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Aug 15: A widely circulated image showed President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting in Alaska, including a moment with the presidential limousine.
OREM, UTAH - SEPTEMBER 13: A billboard commemorates political activist Charlie Kirk on September 13, 2025 in Orem, Utah. Kirk, CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on Wednesday while he was speaking at an event for his "American Comeback Tour" on the campus.Chet Strange/Getty Images
Aug 13: A fishing boat in Kochi, India was photographed against the backdrop of trade tensions after U.S. tariffs on certain imports were announced.
KATHMANDU, NEPAL - SEPTEMBER 15: Workers take out remains from the debris of a burnt out building of Department of Roads of Nepal which was burnt during last Monday's anti-corruption protests on September 15, 2025 in Kathmandu, Nepal. Nepal has been rocked by massive youth-led protests in September 2025, triggered by anger over government corruption, nepotism, and the banning of popular social media platforms.Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images
Aug 25: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth joined President Trump in the Oval Office as several executive orders were signed, including measures on bail and flag-related policy that prompted legal and public debate.
QUANTICO, VIRGINIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Senior military leaders listen as U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2025 in Quantico, Virginia. In an unprecedented gathering, almost 800 generals, admirals and their senior enlisted leaders have been ordered into one location from around the world on short notice.Alex Wong/Getty Images
Sep 13: A billboard in Orem, Utah commemorated political activist Charlie Kirk after he was fatally shot while speaking at a university event on September 10.
RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL - OCTOBER 13: Gaza hostage Ziv Berman celebrates from a helicopter as he arrives at Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer on October 13, 2025 in Ramat Gan, Israel. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has brought an end to the two years of war that followed the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. A condition of the deal was the immediate return of 48 hostages held in Gaza, around 20 of whom were believed to be alive.Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images
Sep 15: Anti-corruption protests in Kathmandu, Nepal left parts of the Department of Roads building burned, reflecting widespread anger over corruption, nepotism, and internet restrictions.
PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 19: A French Forensics Officer examines the cut window and balcony of a gallery at the Louvre Museum which was the scene of a robbery at the world famous museum earlier in the day on October 19, 2025 in Paris, France. France's Culture Minister, Rachida Dati, announced the closure of the world-famous art museum on X due to the robbery taking place just after the Louvre opened to the public. It is being reported that millions of pound with of historic jewellery belonging to Napoleon and Empress Josephine has been stolen.Kiran Ridley/Getty Images
Oct 13: As part of a ceasefire deal, Israeli hostages were released from Gaza; one freed captive, Ziv Berman, was photographed raising his fist as he was evacuated by helicopter for medical care.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 23: An excavator works to clear rubble after the East Wing of the White House was demolished on October 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. The demolition is part of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to build a multimillion-dollar ballroom on the eastern side of the White House.Eric Lee/Getty Images
Oct 19: Thieves broke into the Louvre in Paris and stole jewelry once owned by Napoleon and Empress Eugénie; authorities later arrested suspects in the audacious robbery.
Oct 23: President Trump ordered demolition of the White House East Wing to make way for a proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom — a controversial renovation reported to cost roughly $300 million.
These 30 photos are a selection from Getty Images’ full gallery of 100 photographs that together tell the story of a turbulent 2025. The complete collection highlights the role of photojournalism in documenting moments of crisis, triumph, and change.
