2AM ET 08/04/2025 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update – Detailed Summary

Episode: 2AM ET 08/04/2025 Newscast
Release Date: August 4, 2025
Host: Sue Guzman
Producer: FOX News Podcasts

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1. Texas Democratic Lawmakers Flee State to Deny Quorum on Redistricting

The episode opens with Sue Guzman reporting on a significant political maneuver in Texas, where a group of Democratic state lawmakers have fled the state to prevent a quorum. Their objective is to block the planned vote on a redistricting measure scheduled for Monday.

Gene Wu, Texas House Minority Leader, addressed reporters upon their arrival in Chicago, stating:

"We come here today with absolute moral clarity that this is the absolutely the right thing to do to protect the people of the state of Texas."
[00:21]

This strategic move aims to disrupt the legislative process, as the approval of the redistricting map could potentially grant the Republican Party five additional seats in Congress.

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2. Manhunt for Montana Bar Shooting Suspect Michael Brown Intensifies

In other news, Sue Guzman updates listeners on the ongoing manhunt for Michael Brown, an Army veteran accused of a deadly bar shooting in Anaconda, Montana. The incident resulted in four fatalities and has prompted a significant law enforcement response.

Geremll Scott reports:

"We've got tremendous cooperation from Homeland Security."
[00:54]

Gene Wu added:

"From our Federal partners, the FBI."
[00:58]

The U.S. Marshals Service has declared Brown as "armed and dangerous," underscoring the critical nature of the search operation aided by federal authorities.

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3. Fatal New Jersey Crash Involving Illegal Immigrant

A tragic incident in Lakewood, New Jersey, was covered by CB Cotton, highlighting the fatal consequences of a driver under the influence and carrying out illegal immigration activities.

CB Cotton detailed the event:

"Loved ones have told the media Maria Pleytez and her 11-year-old daughter Dianara Cortez were just out grabbing milkshakes when the crash happened last Saturday in Lakewood, New Jersey. Pleytes reportedly immigrated from El Salvador more than two decades ago and her children were born in the U.S. Investigators tell me the mother was killed instantly and the daughter was taken to an area hospital where she too died."
[01:12]

The Department of Homeland Security identified Raul Luna Perez, an illegal migrant from Mexico, as responsible for the fatal crash. Authorities observed signs of intoxication, and Perez’s blood was tested following a court-authorized warrant.

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4. President Trump Fires Bureau of Labor Statistics Director Amid Job Report Controversy

Sue Guzman reported on significant staffing changes within the Trump administration, following the release of recent job market data.

Geremll Scott provided details:

"President Trump fired the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Erica McIntarfer, after a July report showing a gain of just 73,000 jobs and May and June job gains that were inflated by just over 250,000."
[03:19]

Kevin Hassett, the White House's national economic adviser, expressed concerns over the job numbers:

"We would want details on those numbers and changes."
[03:41]

Gene Wu criticized the Bureau of Labor Statistics' methodology:

"Instead, they have this little black box that moves the numbers around and makes people wonder sometimes with partisan patterns. And so I think what we need is a fresh set of eyes at the BLS, somebody who can clean this thing up."
[03:41]

The firing has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats, who view it as an authoritarian move by President Trump.

Geremll Scott summarized the opposition:

"Democrats have widely criticized the firing as an authoritarian move by the president."
[03:51]

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5. Trump Imposes Tariffs on Over 60 Trading Partners, Proposes Dividend to American Workers

In economic developments, Sue Guzman discussed President Trump's aggressive stance on trade, highlighting the imposition of new tariffs on U.S. trading partners.

Jamison Greer, U.S. Trade Representative, explained the measures:

"President Trump's tariffs are pretty much set on the more than 60 trading partners with the U.S."
[04:07]
"Starting Thursday, all imports will have at least a 10% tariff rate, with some countries paying up to 40%."

This announcement was made just hours before a self-imposed deadline, signaling a significant shift in U.S. trade policy aimed at renegotiating better deals.

President Trump also proposed that middle and low-income Americans could receive a portion of the collected tariffs as a dividend, aiming to offset the economic impact on consumers.

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6. Tropical Storm Dexter Develops on Southeast Coast

The episode briefly touches on meteorological updates, with a tropical weather system approaching the Southeast.

Sue Guzman provided the forecast:

"A tropical weather system bearing down on the Southeast could strengthen and morph into what will be known as Tropical Storm Dexter sometime Monday. But the National Hurricane Center in Miami says the system is expected to move away from the US coast and stay north of Bermuda."
[04:28]
"Some areas, including spots in Georgia, are already reporting being hit with at least 4 inches of rain from the storm system, which is about 500 miles east of the North Carolina coast."

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Note: Advertisements and promotional segments from Ashley Strawmeier promoting NetSuite by Oracle were excluded from this summary, as per the guidelines to focus solely on content-related sections.

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This comprehensive overview encapsulates the key discussions and updates presented in the 2AM ET August 4, 2025 episode of the Fox News Hourly Update, providing listeners with essential information on political maneuvers in Texas, ongoing law enforcement operations, economic policies, and weather developments.

Transcript

[Sue Guzman]

Lone Star standoff. I'm Sue Guzman. FOX News. And a group of Democratic state lawmakers in Texas have fled the state. They want to deny a quorum necessary for a planned vote on the redistricting measure set for a vote on Monday. Texas House Minority Leader Gene Wu spoke to reporters after they arrived in Chicago.

[Gene Wu]

We come here today with absolute moral clarity that this is the absolutely the right thing to do to protect the people of the state of Texas.

[Sue Guzman]

If approved, the redistricting map could give the GOP five additional seats in Congress. Manhunt continues for a Montana bar shooting suspect Michael Brown, the Army veteran accused of killing four people at a bar Friday morning in the southwestern town of Anaconda. State's Attorney General Austin Knudsen says that federal authorities are assisting in the search.

[Gernall Scott]

We've got tremendous cooperation from Homeland Security.

[Gene Wu]

From our Federal partners, the FBI.

[Sue Guzman]

The U.S. marshals Service says a Brown is considered armed and dangerous. Police say an illegal immigrant from Mexico is under arrest in a fatal head on collision in New Jersey. Here's fox's CB Cotton.

[CB Cotton]

Loved ones have told the media Maria Pleytez and her 11 year old daughter Dianara Cortez were just out grabbing milkshakes when the crash happened last Saturday in Lakewood, New Jersey. Plaites reportedly immigrated from El Salvador more than two decades ago and her children born in the U.S. investigators tell me the mother was killed instantly and the daughter was taken to an area hospital where she too died. DHS says an illegal migrant from Mexico, Raul Luna Perez, is responsible for the fatal wrong way crash. First responders noticed on scene that he seemed intoxicated and according to prosecutors, his blood was drawn and tested with a court authorized warrant.

[Sue Guzman]

America is listening to FOX News.

[Ashley Strawmeier]

It's an interesting time for business. Tariff and trade policies are dynamic, supply chains are squeezed and cash flow tighter than ever. If your business can't adapt in real time, you're in a world of hurt. You need total visibility from global shipments to tariff impacts to real time cash flow. That's NetSuite by Oracle, your AI powered business management suite trusted by over 42,000 businesses. NetSuite is the number one cloud ERP for many reasons. It brings accounting, financial management, inventory, HR into one suite. You have one source of truth giving you the visibility and control you need to make quick decisions. With real time forecasting, you're peering into the future with actionable data. And with AI embedded throughout, you can automate a lot of those everyday tasks, letting your team stay strategic. Netsuite helps you know what's stuck, what it's costing you and how to pivot fast if your revenues are at least in the seven figures. Download the free ebook Navigating Global Free Insights for [e-mail] fox that's netsuite.com fox.

[Sue Guzman]

President Trump's top economic adviser explaining why his boss made a big staff change just hours after the latest jobs report was released. Details from Fox's Guernel Scott.

[Gernall Scott]

President Trump fired the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Erica McIntarfer, after a July report showing a gain of just 73,000 jobs and may and June job gains that were inflated by just over 250,000. White House national economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Fox News Sunday he would want details on those numbers and changes.

[Gene Wu]

Instead, they have this little black box that moves the numbers around and makes people wonder sometimes with partisan patterns. And so I think what we need is a fresh set of eyes at the bls, somebody who can clean this thing up.

[Gernall Scott]

Democrats have widely criticized the firing as an authoritarian move by the president. Gernall Scott, Fox News.

[Sue Guzman]

U.S. trading partners will start paying more to export their goods to Americ as President Trump demands better trade deals. Fox's Ashley Strawmeier reports.

[Jamison Greer]

President Trump's tariffs are pretty much set on the more than 60 trading partners with the U.S. that is according to the U.S. trade Representative Jamison Greer. Starting Thursday, all imports will have at least a 10% tariff rate, with some countries paying up to 40%. The White House announced the tariff rates for imports just hours ahead of a self imposed deadline last Friday.

[Sue Guzman]

Speaking to reporters Sunday, President Trump suggested middle and low income Americans can receive some of the tariffs collected as a dividend. A tropical weather system bearing down on the Southeast could strengthen and morph into what will be known as Tropical Storm Dexter sometime Monday. But the National Hurricane center in Miami says the system is expected to move away from the US coast and stay north of Bermuda. Some areas, including spots in Georgia, already reporting being hit with at least 4 inches of rain from the storm system, which is about 500 miles east of the North Carolina coast. I'm Sue Guzman. This is FOX News.

[Ashley Strawmeier]

It's an interesting time for business. Tariff and trade policies are dynamic, supply chains are squeezed and cash flow tighter than ever. If your business can't adapt in real time, you're in a world of hurt. You need total visibility from global shipments to tariff impacts to real time cash flow. That's NetSuite by Oracle, your AI powered business management suite. Trusted by over 42,000 businesses, NetSuite is the number one cloud ERP for many reasons. It brings accounting, financial management, inventory, HR into one suite. You have one source of truth, giving you the visibility and control you need to make quick decisions. With real time forecasting, you're peering into the future with actionable data. And with AI embedded throughout, you can automate a lot of those everyday tasks, letting your team stay strategic. Netsuite helps you know what's stuck, what it's costing you, and how to pivot fast. If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, download the free ebook Navigating Global 3 Insights for Leaders at netsuite.com fox that's netsuite.com fox.