U.S. landmarks hit by lightning on New Year's Eve | 1 Jan 2025 | On the last day of 2024, a series of lightning bolts struck the U.S. Capitol Building and Washington Monument in D.C., as well as the Empire State Building and One World Trade Center in New York City, according to multiple videos posted online. The strikes, occurring amid heavy rain along the East Coast, coincided with New Year celebrations and quickly sparked widespread speculation on social media, with some commenters suggesting it could be a symbolic sign. This comes as Joe Biden prepares to leave office and Donald Trump is set to return to the White House on January 20.