12PM ET 09/19/2025 Newscast

Summary

---

Fox News Hourly Update: 12PM ET Newscast – September 19, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of the Fox News Hourly Update, anchored by Elisa Brady, delivers rapid news coverage on the U.S. government’s efforts to avert a shutdown, developments on Capitol Hill, international economic news, and reactions to revelations in political memoirs. The briefing also touches on major corporate news, court fights over passport gender policies, and recent shifts in the stock market.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Congressional Efforts to Avoid Government Shutdown

• Short-Term Spending Bill Passed
  • The House passed a short-term “clean” spending bill to keep government funded for seven more weeks. Speaker Mike Johnson urges the Senate to quickly pass it, while firmly objecting to the Democrats’ counter proposal.
  • Speaker Mike Johnson (00:19):

    “What Chuck Schumer is trying to DO is force $1.4 trillion in additional spending on the American people, a spending hike on a very short term continuing resolution to keep the government open.”

  • Johnson also criticizes proposals to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants.
• Senate Dynamics
  • Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says Democrats’ plan would reverse healthcare cuts and forthcoming premium hikes.
  • Jessica Rosenthal explains the legislative outlook (00:41), noting both versions of the bill are expected to stall:

    “They're going to take the House bill, subject that to a 60 vote threshold. That won't happen...then they're going to consider the Democratic bill that needs 60 votes. That will fail as well. And then they are stalled when it comes to a government shutdown.”

• Critical Timing
  • Funding expires in 11 days, intensifying pressure for a bipartisan solution before a shutdown.

2. House Resolution: Charlie Kirk & Rejecting Political Violence

• The House passed a resolution honoring Charlie Kirk and calling for a recommitment to respectful debate and the rejection of political violence.
  • Mike Johnson (01:15):

    “Debate, uphold American values and respect one another as fellow Americans. Sadly, a number of Democrats could not bring themselves to vote for them.”

  • The resolution passed 310-58, with nearly 40 lawmakers voting “present.” Notably, 95 Democrats joined Republicans in support.

3. U.S.-China Relations & TikTok Deal

• Former President Trump reports a “very productive” phone call with China’s president, addressing progress on “many important issues,” including preliminary approval of a TikTok deal.
  • Trump announces plans for face-to-face meetings at an upcoming South Korea summit and reciprocal visits.

4. Hyundai’s U.S. Investment and Immigration Raid Fallout (02:22)

• Reporter Jenny Costola highlights Hyundai’s commitment to expanding production at its Meta plant in Georgia by 2028, resulting in 3,000 new jobs and a projected annual output of 500,000 vehicles.
• Context: Over 300 Korean workers were recently detained during an immigration raid, temporarily delaying the launch of an EV battery plant onsite. Both Hyundai and Georgia officials are working to mitigate tensions.
• South Korean officials have called for U.S. visa policy reforms in response.

5. Legal Battle: Passport Gender Identity Policy (03:00)

• The Trump administration is seeking Supreme Court intervention after a lower court upheld the right for the State Department to issue passports reflecting a person’s gender identity.

6. Kamala Harris Memoir Revelation: Pete Buttigieg as Potential Running Mate (03:24)

• Lisa Brady reports on a passage from Vice President Kamala Harris’s memoir “107 Days,” in which Harris considered, but ultimately declined, to pick Pete Buttigieg as her running mate due to perceptions it was “too risky,” specifically citing his sexual orientation.
  • Buttigieg responds, praising voters’ ability to look beyond identity:

    “You earn trust with voters based on what they think you’re going to do for their lives, not based on categories.”

  • Buttigieg also reminds listeners of his state's blue shift in 2008:

    “His home state of Indiana went blue for the first time since LBJ in 2008 when Barack Obama became president.”

7. Stock Market Update (04:05)

• Lisa Brady notes stocks are higher, with the Dow up about 50 points, extending record gains from the previous day.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mike Johnson on Senate Democrats’ Spending Plan (00:19):

  “What Chuck Schumer is trying to DO is force $1.4 trillion in additional spending on the American people...”

• Jessica Rosenthal on Senate Votes (00:41):

  “They only have 53 Republicans in the Senate. They need seven Democrats and then they're going to consider the Democratic bill that needs 60 votes. That will fail as well.”

• Mike Johnson on House Resolution (01:15):

  “Debate, uphold American values and respect one another as fellow Americans. Sadly, a number of Democrats could not bring themselves to vote for them.”

• Pete Buttigieg Responds to Harris’s Memoir (03:24):

  “You earn trust with voters based on what they think you’re going to do for their lives, not based on categories.”

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Clean Spending Bill Passed in House: 00:02 – 01:02
• House Resolution on Political Violence: 01:02 – 01:24
• Trump on China and TikTok Deal: 01:24 – 01:59
• Hyundai Expansion in Georgia: 02:15 – 03:00
• Legal Fight Over Passport Policy: 03:00 – 03:24
• Kamala Harris Memoir and Buttigieg Response: 03:24 – 04:05
• Stock Market Brief: 04:05 – 04:09

---

Conclusion

This episode offers a fast-paced summary of key national and international headlines in under five minutes, maintaining Fox News’ direct and spirited tone. Negotiations to avoid a government shutdown, bipartisan efforts against political violence, US-China relations, and social policy debates dominate, while economic updates and in-depth coverage of corporate and cultural developments round out the newscast. The episode skillfully blends political strategy, economic shifts, and human stories, keeping listeners up to date and engaged.

Transcript

[Elisa Brady]

How to avoid a government shutdown. Elisa Brady, fox news. The U.S. house just taking the first step, passing what Republicans call a clean short term spending bill that would fund the government for seven more weeks. House Speaker Mike Johnson urging the Senate to pass it too, rejecting a counter proposal from Democrats.

[Mike Johnson]

What Chuck Schumer is trying to DO is force $1.4 trillion in additional spending on the American people, a spending hike on a very short term continuing resolution to keep the government open.

[Elisa Brady]

Johnson also objecting to health care for illegal immigrants. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says the Democrat plan would reverse health care cuts and upcoming premium hikes.

[Jessica Rosenthal]

The Senate's going to have two test votes, kind of show votes. They're going to take the House bill, subject that to a 60 vote threshold. That won't happen because it's about the math. They only have 53 Republicans in the Senate. They need seven Democrats and then they're going to consider the Democratic bill that needs 60 votes. That will fail as well. And then they are stalled when it comes to a government shutdown.

[Elisa Brady]

Fox a CHAD program on Capitol Hill. Funding runs out in 11 days. The House also just passing a resolution honoring Charlie Kirk and calling on Americans to reject political violence, recommit to respectful.

[Mike Johnson]

Debate, uphold American values and respect one another as fellow Americans. Sadly, a number of Democrats could not bring themselves to vote for them.

[Elisa Brady]

The House speaker, after a vote of 310 to 58 with nearly 40 lawmakers voting present, 95 Democrats did join Republicans in supporting the resolution. President Trump says a just finished call with China's president was very productive with progress on many important issues, including approval of a TikTok deal. President Trump also posting that he and the Chinese leader will meet in person at a summit in South Korea and in upcoming visits to each other's countries. America is listening to FOX News.

[Emily Compagno]

I'm Emily Compagno. This week on the FOX True Crime podcast, I'm joined by attorney and spokesperson for the Friends of Amanda Knox organization, Ann Bremner, who's featured in the new FOX Nation special Framed.

[Jason Chaffetz]

Listen and follow [e-mail].

[Elisa Brady]

Reassurance from a South Korean automaker about a planned US investment after Korean workers were recently sent home.

[Jenny Costola]

Hyundai says it's committed to stepping up production capacity at its Meta plant America in Georgia by 2028. It's the second phase of an investment plan previously announced and will create 3,000 new jobs. Eventually, it plans to produce half a million vehicles a year in Georgia, 10 models of electric and gas electric vehicles. Earlier this month more than 300 Koreans were detained at the Meta plant and returned home after being released. The immigration raid delayed the startup of an electric vehicle battery plant at the site. Hyundai executives and Georgia officials have been trying to calm the situation. The since the raid.

[Elisa Brady]

Fox's Jenny Costola South Korean officials have called for US Visa reform. The Trump administration is taking a passport fight to the US Supreme Court, asking justices to intervene after a lower court ruled in favor of requiring the State Department to issue passports reflecting a person's gender identity. The former US Transportation secretary finding something unexpected in the former vice president's new book.

[Lisa Brady]

In the former vice president's book, 107 Days, Kamala Harris recounts how she wanted to pick transportation secretary and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg as her running mate, but opted against it because he's gay. She wrote it was too risky that they were already asking Americans to accept a black woman married to a Jewish man. Buttigieg said he was surprised to read that he told Politico he believes in giving Americans more credit than that that you earn trust with voters based on what they think you're going to do for their lives, not based on categories. He also reminded that his home state of Indiana went blue for the first time Since LBJ in 2008 when Barack Obama became president. Jessica Rosenthal, Fox News Stocks are higher, extending yesterday's records.

[Elisa Brady]

Right now, the Dow is up about.

[Lisa Brady]

50 points and Lisa Brady.

[Elisa Brady]

This is FOX News.

[Jason Chaffetz]

This is Jason Chaffetz from the Jason in the House podcast. Join me every Monday to dive deeper into the latest political headlines and chat with remarkable guests. Listen and follow now@fox newspodcast.com or wherever you download podcasts.