Fox News Hourly Update — 11PM ET 11/18/2025

Host: Lisa Lucera
Date: November 19, 2025

Episode Overview

This Fox News Hourly Update provides listeners with the latest headlines and developments from Capitol Hill, the White House, legal news involving public figures, and landmark decisions affecting big tech and U.S. politics. The episode delivers succinct updates with a focus on transparency in the Epstein files, U.S.-Saudi relations, legal challenges involving celebrities, and pivotal antitrust rulings.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Congressional and Senate Actions on Jeffrey Epstein Records

• House Oversight Committee, led by James Comer, subpoenas Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase for Jeffrey Epstein’s financial records.

• Request made for documentation from the U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General as part of the ongoing government review.

• Senate passes a measure calling for the public release of Epstein files, following House approval.

• President Trump had advocated for the release, urging Republicans to support the measure.

  Notable Quote:

  "This isn't about Democrats versus Republicans or about Congress versus the president. This is about giving the American people the transparency they've been crying for."
  — Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer [00:27]

2. U.S.-Saudi Relations — ‘Major Non-NATO Ally’ Designation

• At a White House dinner with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Trump designates Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally.

• President Trump publicly praises the Crown Prince’s role in U.S.-Middle East relations and ongoing peace efforts.

• The U.S. announces plans to sell fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.

  Notable Quote:

  "We've gotten to know each other well over the years and he has become a true partner for peace and prosperity for our countries and for the world and for peace in the Middle east, which was a crowning achievement for both of us."
  — President Trump [00:58]

3. White House Middle East Envoy and UAE-Tech Controversy

• Senators Chris Murphy (CT) and Elizabeth Warren (MA) question White House Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff over potential conflicts of interest.
• Allegations that Witkoff may have offered tech secrets to the UAE and benefited from investment in his firm, World Liberty Financial, co-launched with the Trump family.
• Claims involve the timing of a deal exporting AI chips to the UAE alongside a UAE-backed cryptocurrency investment.
• Both the White House and World Liberty Financial deny any connection between the deals.

4. Legal News and High-Profile Cases

a. Sexual Battery Claim Against Sean "Diddy" Combs

• New investigation opened by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department after a male music producer accused Combs of sexual battery.
• Combs' lawyer denies the accusation.
• Combs is currently incarcerated due to past prostitution-related convictions.
  [02:31]

b. Appeal Filed by Actor Danny Masterson

• Masterson’s new legal team petitions for his rape convictions and 30-year-to-life sentence to be overturned, citing poor defense and judicial bias.

• Claims the trial judge allowed unconstitutional scrutiny of the Church of Scientology, impacting the fairness of the trial.

  Notable Quote:

  "The petition also argues the trial judge demonstrated a bias against the Church of Scientology, allowing an unconstitutional intrusion into the church's doctrine and a misinterpretation of its scripture."
  — Lillian Wu, Fox News [02:55]

5. Federal Decisions Impacting Politics & Big Tech

a. Texas Redistricting Blocked

• Federal court halts Texas’ newly drawn Republican congressional map, siding with critics who argued it would disenfranchise Black and Hispanic voters.
  [03:35]

b. Meta’s Landmark Antitrust Victory

• Meta Platforms wins a historic Federal Trade Commission case; a federal judge rules Meta does not hold a monopoly in social networking, letting it retain ownership of Instagram and WhatsApp.

• Decision contrasts with recent rulings labeling Google an illegal monopoly in search and online ads.

• Situates the decision within a broader antitrust crackdown on ‘Big Tech’ in the U.S.

  Notable Quote:

  "A US district judge ruling that Meta does not hold a monopoly in social networking... The case is part of a larger antitrust crackdown on big tech in the US."
  — Fox’s Hilary Barsky [03:50]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

| Timestamp | Speaker/Attribution | Quote | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:27 | Chuck Schumer | "This isn't about Democrats versus Republicans...transparency they've been crying for." | | 00:58 | President Trump | "He has become a true partner for peace and prosperity..." | | 02:55 | Lillian Wu (reporting on Danny Masterson’s petition) | "...the trial judge demonstrated a bias against the Church of Scientology..." | | 03:50 | Hilary Barsky (on Meta) | "A US district judge ruling that Meta does not hold a monopoly in social networking..." |

Important Segment Timestamps

• Epstein files, Deutsche Bank/JPMorgan subpoenas: [00:03]
• Chuck Schumer statement (transparency): [00:27]
• Trump-Saudi Arabia announcement: [00:39 - 01:11]
• Middle East envoy/Witkoff controversy: [01:21]
• Sean "Diddy" Combs investigation: [02:31]
• Danny Masterson legal challenge: [02:55]
• Federal court blocks Texas map/Meta antitrust case: [03:35 - 04:21]

Conclusion

This Fox News Hourly Update encapsulated critical political, legal, and technological news shaping national conversations—from transparency demands regarding Epstein to courtroom drama involving celebrities and the new landscape of Big Tech antitrust. The tone was direct, news-first, and attentive to objectivity, while highlighting accountability and public interest at the heart of current events.