2009 · Crisis and first acts
The administration began amid the Great Recession, with recovery legislation and new ethics and transparency directives. Sonia Sotomayor joined the Supreme Court. Afghanistan and the Copenhagen climate conference also shaped the first year.
- January 20: first inauguration
- February 17: Recovery Act signed
- August 8: Sotomayor sworn in
- December 10: Nobel Peace Prize lecture
2010 · Health reform and political reversal
The Affordable Care Act and Dodd–Frank became law. The Deepwater Horizon spill tested the federal response, and Republicans won control of the House in the midterm elections.
- March 23: Affordable Care Act signed
- July 21: Dodd–Frank signed
- December 22: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal signed
2011 · Conflict and compromise
A U.S. raid in Pakistan killed Osama bin Laden. At home, a confrontation over the debt ceiling exposed the difficulty of governing with a divided Congress. The year closed with the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq; American forces would return in 2014 to fight ISIS.
- May 1: Obama announces the bin Laden operation
- Summer: debt-ceiling negotiations dominate Washington
- December: U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq
2012 · The reelection year
Obama publicly supported marriage equality and sought a second term against Republican nominee Mitt Romney. His reelection extended the administration’s opportunity to implement health reform and pursue its domestic and foreign-policy agenda.
- May: Obama announces support for same-sex marriage
- November 6: Obama wins reelection
2013 · A second-term agenda
The second inaugural address connected the struggles represented by Seneca Falls, Selma, and Stonewall. Climate policy, gun violence, surveillance, and immigration dominated debate. Health insurance marketplaces opened with serious technical problems.
- January: second inauguration
- June: Climate Action Plan announced
- October: Affordable Care Act marketplaces open
2014 · Executive action and new conflicts
The administration launched My Brother’s Keeper and announced immigration executive actions. Overseas, the rise of ISIS brought renewed U.S. military operations in Iraq and intervention in Syria.
- February: My Brother’s Keeper launched
- August: U.S. airstrikes against ISIS begin in Iraq
- November: immigration executive actions announced
2015 · Agreements and civil rights
Diplomacy produced the Iran nuclear agreement and the Paris climate accord. The United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations. The Supreme Court’s marriage-equality decision reshaped civil rights nationwide.
- June: Supreme Court decides Obergefell v. Hodges
- July: Iran nuclear agreement announced; U.S.–Cuba diplomatic relations restored
- December: Paris Agreement adopted
2016 · Final-year diplomacy and an election
Obama visited Cuba and Hiroshima during his final full year in office. At home, he campaigned for Hillary Clinton; Donald Trump won the presidential election, setting the stage for a transfer of power between parties.
- March: presidential visit to Cuba
- May: visit to Hiroshima
- November: Donald Trump wins the presidential election
2017 · Farewell and transition
Obama returned to Chicago for his farewell address, urging continued civic participation. Ten days later, his second term ended and Donald Trump took office. Presidential records passed into National Archives custody as the administration concluded.
- January 10: farewell address in Chicago
- January 20: second term ends and presidential records enter National Archives custody