2AM ET 06/18/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 2AM ET 06/18/2026 Newscast

Date: June 18, 2026
Host: Sue Guzman (and FOX News team)
Main Theme:
A roundup of major overnight news from the U.S. and internationally, highlighting a breakthrough U.S.–Iran agreement, political controversy over U.S. surveillance laws, a hurricane landfall in Texas, a high-profile sentencing in the Gilgo Beach serial killer case, and a tragic accident involving a carriage horse in Central Park.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S.–Iran Memorandum of Understanding Signed

Timestamps: 00:02–00:52

• Announcement: President Trump signs a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran to end ongoing conflict, during the G7 summit in Paris.

  • Requires Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz for toll-free transit.
  • U.S. will lift the naval blockade.
  • Negotiations will begin on downgrading Iran's highly enriched uranium.

• Memorable Presidential Quote

  • [00:26] President Trump:

    “And it's a memorandum of understanding—if it doesn't get done in 60 days, it's all right, we go back to bomb. You know, I don't want to do that because it's so good.”

• Further Context & Reactions:

  • The agreement does not provide U.S. money to Iran but waives sanctions on Iran’s oil exports.
  • Negotiations for uranium downgrading are forthcoming.
  • The Prime Minister of Pakistan notes the agreement goes into immediate effect.
  • Criticism from U.S. Democrats: Senator Jeanne Shaheen accuses President Trump of offering Iran “concession after concession for next to nothing in return.”
    • [00:52]

2. Domestic Political Tensions: FISA Renewal & Election Law

Timestamps: 00:52–01:53

• Senate Hearing Canceled:

  • Trump abruptly cancels the Senate hearing on Jay Clayton’s nomination for Director of National Intelligence.
  • He is leveraging this to push for the renewal of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which expired Friday.

• Election Security Standoff:

  • Trump demands FISA renewal be tied to the Save America Act, which would require voter ID for federal elections.
    • [01:23] Kevin Cork:

      “The president says he wants FISA renewed, but he won't sign off on that without the Save America act, which among other things would require voter ID for federal elections.”

• ICE Protests and Democratic Backlash:

  • Democrats hold an unsanctioned hearing at a New Jersey ICE facility marked by recent protests.
  • DHS denies claims of unsafe conditions or mistreatment at the facility.

3. Tropical Cyclone Arthur Hits Texas

Timestamps: 02:23–03:10

• Weather Alert:

  • Cyclone Arthur is the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, making landfall on Texas Gulf Coast.
  • Heavy rainfall reported — over 8 inches in two hours in Kloot, Texas.
    • [02:39] McKenna Earnhardt:

      "I am in Kloot, Texas, where Kloot saw a little over 8 inches of rain in just about two hours…The problem was the ditches fill up with water and those flow into the parking lots and onto the road."

• Flooding Risk:

  • National Weather Service issues a level 2 of 4 flood threat for parts of the coast.
  • Floodwaters are receding, limited depth on roads.

4. Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Sentencing

Timestamps: 03:10–04:02

• Major Crime Story:

  • Rex Heuermann, 62, sentenced to life without parole for killing eight women on Long Island between 1993 and 2011.

  • Identification and arrest (2023) aided by DNA from pizza crust.

    • [03:22] Tonya J. Powers:

      “He admitted to killing eight women, the remains of most of them found between 1993 and 2011, until DNA matched from a pizza crust Heuerman discarded in a Manhattan trash can led to his arrest in 2023.”

  • Victim impact statements shared during sentencing including one moving quote from a family member:

    • [03:42]

      “I hope you suffer,” recounting a taunting phone call from Heuermann days after her sister disappeared.

  • Heuermann pled guilty in April as part of a plea deal.

5. Central Park Carriage Accident

Timestamps: 04:02–04:20

• Tragic Event:
  • 18-year-old passenger dies after a Central Park carriage horse bolts, throwing him to the ground.
  • Investigation ongoing by the NYPD.

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Notable Quotes

• President Trump on Iran MOU (00:26):

  “If it doesn’t get done in 60 days, it’s all right, we go back to bomb. You know, I don’t want to do that because it’s so good.”

• Victim’s Family Member During Sentencing of Rex Heuermann (03:42):

  “I hope you suffer,” after recalling a taunting phone call.

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Important Timestamps

• 00:02–00:52: U.S.–Iran MOU signed, details and political reactions
• 01:23–01:53: President Trump links FISA renewal with Save America Act, Congressional standoff
• 02:23–03:10: Cyclone Arthur landfall and flooding in Texas
• 03:22–04:02: Sentencing of Gilgo Beach serial killer, emotional court moments
• 04:02–04:20: Central Park carriage horse accident

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Tone & Style:
Concise, authoritative, and urgent with direct reporting, sharp political analysis, somber crime coverage, and on-the-scene weather reporting.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode:
This newscast covers major updates on international diplomacy, domestic political high-wire acts, extreme weather hitting Texas, a historic serial killer sentencing, and a tragic accident in Central Park—all packed into just five minutes of tightly focused news.

Transcript

[Sue Guzman]

Agreements signed. I'm Sue Guzman. Fox News. President Trump has signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran to end the months long conflict.

[Jared Halpern]

President Trump signed the memorandum of understanding during a G7 dinner in Paris ahead of a planned signing ceremony Friday. The agreement requires Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz for toll free transit and lifts the US Naval blockade.

[President Trump]

And it's a memorandum of understanding if it doesn't get done in 60 days, it's all right, we go back to bomb. You know, I don't want to do that because it's so good.

[Jared Halpern]

President Trump says the US Is not providing money to Iran, though the agreement does require waiving sanctions on Iran's oil exports. With the MOU signed, negotiations now begin on a process for downgrading Iran's highly enriched uranium. In Washington, Jared Halpern, Fox News.

[Sue Guzman]

Meanwhile, the prime minister of Pakistan annex says the MOU goes into effect immediately with Iran opening this trade of Hormuz and the US Lifting the naval blockade. The Democrat US Senator Jeanne Shaheen accused President Trump of offering Iran concession after concession for next to nothing in return. President Trump abruptly canceling the Senate hearing on Jay Clayton's nomination Wednesday to serve as director of National Intelligence, hoping to spur Congress to take up renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance act that expired Friday.

[Kevin Cork]

The president says he wants FISA renewed, but he won't sign off on that without the Save America act, which among other things will would require voter ID for federal elections. Meantime, Democrats held an unsanctioned hearing at the site of those fiery ICE protests at a facility in New Jersey where their disdain of ICE was on full display. DHS continues to deny claims of unsafe conditions or mistreatment of detainees at Delaney hall and anywhere else around the country.

[Sue Guzman]

Fox's Kevin Cork reporting. America's listening to Fox News.

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[Sue Guzman]

Tropical Cyclone Arthur, the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, made landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast Wednesday morning breakfast bringing lots of rainfall and the threat of flooding to the area. FOX 26 Houston's McKenna Earnhardt is in Kloot, Texas. With the conditions here.

[McKenna Earnhardt]

I am in Kloot, Texas, where Kloot saw a little over 8 inches of rain in just about two hours. And the result of that, it's this driving around. My photographer and I, we did see some slight flooded roadways. Cars still able to pass through though only about an inch of water. And the problem was the ditches fill up with water and those flow into the parking lots and onto the road. It's really not that deep. I walked in it and it's about up to my ankles. So it's not too bad anymore. It's slowly going down.

[Sue Guzman]

The National Weather Service has placed parts of the Texas Gulf coast in a level 2 of 4 threat, flood threat, at least until the morning sentencing for the Gilgo Beach, Long island serial killer. Here's fox's Tonya J. Powers.

[Tonya J. Powers]

Decades after killing multiple women on New York's Long Island, 62 year old Rex Heuermann was sentenced to life in prison without parole for his crimes. He admitted to killing eight women, the remains of most of them found between 1993 and 2011 until DNA matched from a pizza crust Heuerman discarded in a Manhattan trash can led to his arrest in 2023. During the sentencing hearing, victims family members read impact statements with one saying, quote, I hope you suffer, recounting getting a taunting phone call from Heuerman days after her sister had disappeared. In April, he pleaded guilty, working out a plea deal for the sentence he was given. In New York City, Tanya J. Powers, FOX News.

[Sue Guzman]

A teenager who was thrown to the ground after a Central park carriage horse bolted from its driver afternoon has died. The NYPD says that the 18 year old was in the carriage with three other passengers when that accident occurred. There's an investigation now underway. I'm Sue Guzman. This is FOX News.

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