Fox News Hourly Update: Detailed Summary of 10AM ET Newscast on July 26, 2025
The July 26, 2025, episode of the Fox News Hourly Update delivered comprehensive coverage of significant national and international news stories. Hosted by Jack Callahan and featuring reports from correspondents Kristen Goodwin and Madeline Rivera, the newscast delved into legal proceedings involving Ghislaine Maxwell, Justice Department investigations into past election interference claims, President Trump's ongoing trade negotiations with the European Union, and a recent aviation incident involving Southwest Airlines. Below is a structured summary of the key discussions and insights from the episode.
1. Ghislaine Maxwell’s Legal Proceedings and Potential Presidential Pardon
The newscast opened with updates on Ghislaine Maxwell's legal situation. Maxwell, a convicted sex offender and former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, is currently serving a 20-year sentence in Tallahassee for her role in trafficking and abusing underage girls.
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Attorney's Defense: Maxwell's attorney, David Marcus, expressed concerns over her treatment, stating, "She has been treated unfairly for the past five years. She didn't get a fair trial" (00:21). Marcus indicated ongoing appeals to the Supreme Court, emphasizing, "We're going to be filing a reply in the Supreme Court on her cert petition on Monday saying the truth will come out" (00:21).
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Presidential Pardon Speculation: The discussion shifted to the possibility of a presidential pardon. When questioned about Maxwell seeking a pardon, former President Donald Trump responded, "I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about" (00:42).
2. Justice Department Investigates Obama-Era Russian Election Interference Claims
The newscast highlighted the Justice Department's plans to investigate newly declassified information related to Russian election interference during President Obama's administration.
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Department's Action: Officials conveyed satisfaction with Attorney General Pambandi's strategy to deploy a strike team for the investigation. However, some Republicans are advocating for appointing a special counsel to oversee the probe (00:58).
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Trump’s Stance: President Trump referenced a Supreme Court decision granting broad immunity to presidents for official acts, suggesting it would also protect Obama. He remarked, "President Trump acknowledged the Supreme Court victory in his own case, which granted broad immunity to presidents for official acts, would also benefit Obama, who he says owes him big time" (00:58).
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Congressional Black Caucus Demand: Additionally, the Congressional Black Caucus is pressing for the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard, accusing her of politicizing intelligence—a charge she has similarly directed toward officials from the Obama era (01:10).
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Obama’s Response: Jackie Heinrich, a spokesperson for former President Obama, dismissed the investigation as "a distraction" (01:48).
3. President Trump’s Trade Negotiations with the European Union in Scotland
President Trump is currently in Scotland engaging in negotiations aimed at securing a trade deal with the European Union amidst escalating tensions.
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Tariff Threats: White House officials disclosed that the U.S. plans to impose a 30% tariff on EU imports by August 1st if a trade agreement is not reached. To date, the U.S. has amassed over $100 billion in tariffs for the year (02:37).
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Immigration and Other Agendas: During his visit, Trump also addressed illegal immigration issues in Europe and announced his intention to tour his golf courses.
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Negotiation Outlook: Trump estimated the likelihood of finalizing a trade deal at "about a 50-50 chance, maybe less than that" (02:37).
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Economic Implications: Experts, as reported by Christina Coleman, cautioned that the imposition of tariffs could lead to increased prices for American consumers and businesses (03:10).
4. FAA Investigates Southwest Airlines Near-Miss Incident
Aviation safety concerns were raised following an incident involving a Southwest Airlines flight that executed evasive maneuvers to prevent a mid-air collision.
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Incident Details: The flight, departing from Burbank Airport, reportedly responded to alerts about another aircraft in its vicinity. Data from Flightradar24 indicated the presence of a Hawker Hunter jet in the same airspace, prompting the Southwest plane to descend rapidly from approximately 14,000 feet to 13,500 feet within a minute (03:32).
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Passenger Experience: The sudden maneuver caused panic among passengers, with two flight attendants sustaining minor injuries. Despite the scare, the aircraft successfully landed in Las Vegas without further issues (04:08).
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Contextual Note: This incident follows a similar event last week, where a passenger plane had to take evasive action to avoid a collision with a B52 bomber over North Dakota (04:08).
Conclusion
The Fox News Hourly Update provided listeners with in-depth coverage of pressing legal battles, governmental investigations, international trade negotiations, and aviation safety concerns. By featuring expert analyses and direct quotes from key figures, the newscast offered a comprehensive overview of events shaping national discourse on July 26, 2025.
Note: Advertisements and promotional segments, including those for Shopify and Bret Baier’s podcast, were excluded from this summary as per provided instructions.
