Fox News Hourly Update – 11AM ET 02/25/2026 Newscast

Host: Dave Anthony (FOX News Podcasts)
Date: February 25, 2026

Episode Overview

This edition of the Fox News Hourly Update delivers concise coverage of major political, international, and legal developments as of late February 2026. Highlights include Vice President J.D. Vance’s new role as head of anti-fraud initiatives, fallout from President Trump’s State of the Union address, rising geopolitical tensions involving Iran and East Asia, new revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, and a significant lawsuit against social media platforms. The episode maintains a brisk, focused tone typical of FOX News’ hourly newscasts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. J.D. Vance Leads White House War on Fraud

[00:03–01:14]

• Appointment:
  President Trump has appointed Vice President J.D. Vance to lead a major initiative against fraud.

• Political Statement:
  In an interview with Bill Hemmer, Vance strongly criticizes both “people who shouldn’t be here” and politicians for economic fraud under the Biden administration.

  “The story of the American economy in so many ways during the Biden administration… is that the American citizen was ripped off by people who shouldn't be here and by politicians who should have known better.”
  — Bill Hemmer [00:08]

• Justice Department’s Role:
  DOJ will investigate fraud cases and consider criminal charges.

  “The Department of Justice is going to be investigating and where possible, throwing fraudsters in prison.”
  — Bill Hemmer [00:24]

• State of the Union Reaction & Partisan Division:
  Vance calls Democrats “cowards” for refusing to applaud his address prioritizing American citizens’ safety over “illegal aliens.”

  • Republicans applauded; most Democrats stayed seated or did not attend (~70+ absent).

  • Vance publicly shames those who didn’t stand.

    “Isn't that ashamed? You should be ashamed of yourself not standing up.”
    — J.D. Vance [00:54]

  • Congressional reaction: Democrats heckled Vance, with Rep. Ilhan Omar shouting “he should be ashamed” and another Democrat calling him “a liar.”

  • Sen. John Fetterman explains his decision to attend, encouraging participation in civic events regardless of agreement.

    “I think show up. You don't have to clap for everything… I think we're in a different place right now.”
    — John Fetterman [01:14]

2. U.S.-Iran Sanctions & Military Escalation

[01:21–01:57]

• New Sanctions:
  The U.S. targets Iran’s oil revenues and missile programs following President Trump’s pledge to prevent Iranian nuclear weapons.

• Regional Buildup:
  U.S. F-22s have arrived in Israel; wider military buildup is underway.

  “A dozen US F22 fighter jets landed here in Israel as part of the ongoing military buildup across the region.”
  — Trey Yingst (Tel Aviv) [01:34]

• Iran’s Reaction:
  Iran rejects U.S. assertions as “big lies” and reiterates its stance:

  “Iran will under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon.”
  — Trey Yingst quoting Iran's Foreign Minister [01:48]

3. Rising Tensions in East Asia

[02:40–03:21]

• US-South Korea Military Drills:
  Upcoming exercises likely to provoke North Korea, which views such drills as rehearsals for invasion.
• Japan-China Friction:

  • Japan plans new missile installations on Yonaguni Island by 2031 (less than 70 miles from Taiwan), escalating distrust.

  • Japan asserts readiness to mobilize its self-defense force if China attacks Taiwan.

    “Relations between the two countries are at their lowest level in years.”
    — Jonathan Savage [02:59]

4. Jeffrey Epstein Investigation Widens

[03:21–04:06]

• Bill Gates Apology:
  During a Gates Foundation town hall, Bill Gates expresses regret for his association with Epstein, including bringing associates into meetings.

  “A huge mistake to spend time with Jeffrey Epstein and bring foundation executives into meetings with him and apologizes for drawing other people into the whole thing.”
  — Chris Foster [03:30]

  • Gates claims he never witnessed illegal acts or visited Epstein's island.
  • Acknowledges marital infidelity involving others (unrelated to Epstein's victims) cited in DOJ files.
  • Gates’ contacts with Epstein continued even after concerns were raised by his then-wife.

5. Social Media Addiction Lawsuit

[04:06–04:32]

• Congressional Testimony:
  Kaylee (last name not specified), the plaintiff in a suit against Meta and YouTube, will testify about how social media design led to her childhood mental health issues.

  “Kaylee has said that in her childhood using social media had led to mental health issues. And today we will talk about how the engineering and the algorithms led to this case here.”
  — Kelly Sabera [04:11]

  • Live updates from outside the LA courthouse, with the promise of showing her actual social media posts.

6. Financial Markets Update

[04:32–04:37]

• The Dow is up 154 points at the time of broadcast.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• J.D. Vance on Democrats not standing:

  “Isn't that ashamed? You should be ashamed of yourself not standing up.”
  — J.D. Vance [00:54]

• John Fetterman on attending the State of the Union:

  “I think show up. You don't have to clap for everything. You don't have to agree with anything.”
  — John Fetterman [01:14]

• Trey Yingst on US-Iran escalation:

  “A dozen US F22 fighter jets landed here in Israel as part of the ongoing military buildup across the region.”
  — Trey Yingst [01:34]

• Bill Gates expressing regret over the Epstein relationship:

  “A huge mistake to spend time with Jeffrey Epstein and bring foundation executives into meetings with him and apologizes for drawing other people into the whole thing.”
  — Chris Foster (on Gates) [03:30]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:03–01:14: J.D. Vance announcement and State of the Union fallout
• 01:21–01:57: Iran sanctions and Middle East military buildup
• 02:40–03:21: Rising US-Asia military tensions; Japan-China-Taiwan developments
• 03:21–04:06: Jeffrey Epstein investigation; Bill Gates apologizes
• 04:06–04:32: Social media lawsuit testimony
• 04:32–04:37: Financial market update

Overall Tone and Takeaways

The episode reflects Fox News’ signature assertive and confrontational tone, especially regarding party divides and US foreign policy stances. Listeners gain a rapid but thorough sense of the morning’s key issues in Washington, worldwide military dynamics, evolving technology accountability debates, and the enduring complexities of public scandals.