Fox News Hourly Update - Detailed Summary Episode: 12AM ET 06/29/2025 Newscast Release Date: June 29, 2025

Senate Begins Debate on President's Budget Bill

Key Developments: The Senate commenced debate on President's "Big Beautiful Budget Bill" following a closely contested vote. The final tally stood at 51 votes in favor and 49 against, necessitating Vice President Vance's decisive vote to break the tie. Initially, three Republican senators—Rick Scott of Florida, Cynthia Loomis of Wyoming, and Mike Lee of Utah—were holding out, jeopardizing the passage of the bill into the debate phase.

Notable Quotes:

• Debra Valentine ([00:03]): "The vote 51 to 49 with the Vice president casting the needed vote for the Senate to begin debate on the president's big beautiful budget bill."

• Chad Pergrim ([00:27]): "This was high drama in the United States Senate with Vice President Vance coming to Capitol Hill potentially to break a tie. They didn't have the votes to get across this procedural hurdle. This is just to start debate on the big beautiful bill. This is not passage of the big beautiful bill. This is just to start debate."

Outcome: After intense negotiations, Senator Ron Johnson shifted his stance, providing the necessary support to move forward. Despite Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's opposition, the debate phase has officially begun, setting the stage for further discussions and revisions.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Opposes the Budget Bill

Key Points: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer vocally opposed the budget bill, emphasizing its potential negative impact on vulnerable populations and its preferential benefits to the wealthy.

Notable Quote:

• Chuck Schumer ([01:15]): "Under this draft, Republicans will take food away from hungry kids to pay for tax breaks to the rich. All the data shows Democrats don't like it, independents don't like it and Republicans don't like cutting snap taking food away from kids all to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy."

Additional Context: Schumer advocated for a comprehensive review of the bill, calling for all 940 pages to be thoroughly examined. He highlighted the bipartisan dissatisfaction with the bill's provisions, arguing that it fails to address essential social welfare needs while disproportionately favoring affluent individuals.

Ongoing Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Recent Military Actions and Peace Talks

Key Developments: The conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate with significant military engagements and stalled peace negotiations.

Notable Quotes:

• Stephanie Bennett ([03:31]): "Ukraine's military said they hit four SU34 planes as well as facilities that service and repair them. It happened at a Russian base more than 550 miles east from the Ukrainian border."

• President Putin ([03:31]): "They are ready for a third round of peace talks with Ukraine, but a date has not yet been set. The terms and conditions of a potential ceasefire are expected to be on the agenda."

Details:

• Ukrainian Strikes: The Ukrainian military reported successful strikes against Russian military assets, including four SU34 warplanes and associated facilities at a central Russian air base. This follows a previous major operation, "Operation Spider's Web," targeting Russian long-range bombers.

• Peace Talks: President Putin signaled readiness for another round of peace talks in Minsk, though previous attempts have failed to produce substantive agreements. The focus remains on negotiating the terms and conditions required for a ceasefire, but actionable progress remains elusive.

• Recent Attacks: Russian forces conducted drone strikes on the southern Ukrainian port city of Odessa overnight, resulting in at least two fatalities and over 617 injuries, indicating the prolonged and intense nature of the conflict.

President Trump Condemns Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Corruption Trial

Key Points: Former President Donald Trump criticized the ongoing corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, labeling it a politically motivated attack similar to his own experiences.

Notable Quote:

• President Trump ([04:31]): "The United States of America spends billions of dollars a year, far more than on any other nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this."

Details:

• Netanyahu's Charges: Netanyahu faces serious allegations, including bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The charges involve accepting gifts valued at nearly $200,000 in cigars and champagne, approximately $3,000 in jewelry for his wife, and promises to enact regulatory changes favoring a business associate.

• Trump's Stance: Drawing parallels to his own legal challenges, Trump labeled Netanyahu's trial a "political witch hunt," emphasizing the strong U.S.-Israel ties and denouncing the trial as unwarranted interference.

Additional Information

• Elon Musk's Stance on the Budget Bill: In response to the budget deliberations, former DOGE head Elon Musk expressed his opposition on Twitter's platform X, urging the complete abandonment of the bill: "Just scrap the bill."

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