2AM ET 08/25/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 2AM ET 08/25/2025 Newscast

Host: Debra Valentine
Date: August 25, 2025

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Overview

This episode provides a concise roundup of major national news events from August 24-25, 2025. Coverage includes reactions to reported active shooter hoaxes at major universities, updates on protests and law enforcement incidents, ongoing wildfire emergency in California, President Trump’s security policies regarding National Guard deployment, and Iran’s stance on nuclear negotiations.

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Key News Stories and Discussion Points

1. Shooter Hoaxes at University Campuses

[00:02 – 00:56]

• South Carolina Incident:
  • Debra Valentine and Friendi Clear Vod report on authorities’ response to false reports of an active shooter at University of South Carolina, Columbia.
  • Police received an alert of gunfire at Thomas Cooper Library and issued lockdown/barricade notices.
  • After tactical searches and video surveillance review, no evidence found:

    “USC police telling us that they did not find any shell casings. … Authorities also check for videos around campus for any evidence and they tell us nothing came up at all.” — Friendi Clear Vod [00:40]

• Villanova University:
  • Brief mention of a similar false active shooter report causing disruption but no lasting threat confirmed.

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2. San Francisco Protest & ICE Incident

[00:56 – 01:55]

• Reporter recounts the release of a person accused of assaulting ICE officers:
  • Adrian Guerrero (who identifies as Angie) allegedly damaged a government vehicle and threatened ICE officers (“I’m going to go after your family and I’m going to stab you”).
  • Event escalated with 15-20 anti-ICE protesters reportedly assaulting and pepper-spraying officials.
  • Guerrero was released on bail, met by supporters outside the court.

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3. Presidential Policy: National Guard Deployments

[03:10 – 03:44]

• President Trump’s Crime Crackdown:
  • Reported by Griff Jenkins, Trump threatens to deploy National Guard to additional cities: Chicago, New York, Baltimore—targeting crime and illegal immigration.
  • Baltimore faces additional threat: Trump may cut funding for the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild unless crime addressed.
  • Democratic officials dispute Trump’s crime statistics.
  • National Guard in D.C. now armed:

    “A Pentagon official says those troops in Washington, D.C. are now carrying firearms.” — Debra Valentine [03:44]

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4. California Wildfire Emergency

[03:44 – 04:35]

• Picket Fire Update:
  • John Krenjak describes the efforts of 1,200 firefighters battling the Picket Fire, containment at 11%.
  • Aerial resources attack “fire whirl” phenomena, ground crews shore up protection lines.
  • Real-time description of destruction:

    “At the Ink Grove Winery, the flames were just a few feet away from the grapes. One after another, we watched bone dry trees and bushes going up in flames in a matter of seconds.” — John Krenjak [04:22]

  • No structures lost; air quality warnings extended; smoke and acreage (60,800 acres burned so far) continue to be concerns.

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5. Iran-U.S. Nuclear Standoff

[04:35 – 05:07]

• Ayatollah Khamenei’s Statement:
  • Iran’s supreme leader rules out further nuclear talks, calls U.S.-Iran issues “Unsolvable” and refuses further concessions:

    “Ayatollah Khamenei with defiant words for Washington Sunday, suggesting that all nuclear negotiations are now off the table, calling issues between Iran and the US Unsolvable. Warning that Iran will never bow to the US in the nuclear standoff.” — Debra Valentine [04:47]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• USC Active Shooter Hoax:

  “Authorities also check for videos around campus for any evidence and they tell us nothing came up at all.” — Friendi Clear Vod [00:48]

• ICE Protest Threat:

  “I’m going to go after your family and I’m going to stab you.” — Quoted threat attributed to Adrian Guerrero [01:22]

• California Fire Realities:

  “One after another, we watched bone dry trees and bushes going up in flames in a matter of seconds.” — John Krenjak [04:22]

• Iran’s Nuclear Bluff:

  “Warning that Iran will never bow to the US in the nuclear standoff.” — Debra Valentine [04:54]

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Timeline & Timestamps of Major Segments

• 00:02 — South Carolina active shooter hoax
• 00:56 — Villanova hoax & ICE protest coverage
• 03:10 — Trump’s National Guard policy
• 03:57 — California wildfire update
• 04:35 — Iran’s nuclear stance

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Tone and Language

The episode maintains the brisk, urgent, and factual tone characteristic of Fox News hourly newscasts, prioritizing breaking news and national security topics, with clear attributions to field reporters and officials.

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For listeners seeking crucial updates on U.S. breaking news, this episode covers false shooting alarms at universities, civil unrest regarding ICE enforcement, tight federal-local tensions over law enforcement, an unfolding wildfire crisis, and escalating rhetoric on Iran’s nuclear program—all in just under five minutes.

Transcript

[Debra Valentine]

Shooter hoaxes. I'm Debra Valentine, Fox News. Police responded to reports of an active shooter at the University of South Carolina, Columbus Sunday but have since given the all clear. Friendi Clear Vod of Fox 57 Columbia, South Carolina reports.

[Friendi Clear Vod]

At about 6:30 USCPD received a report of gunfire just inside the Thomas Cooper Library. Now after that an alert was issued telling students to barricade and to protect themselves. At one point another alert came in saying that it was believed that the shooter was a six foot white male with black shorts. USC police telling us that they did not find any shell casings. Again, they did not find any shell casings. At one point there was a secondary search at the library with a tactical team. Authorities also check for videos around campus for any evidence and they tell us nothing came up at all.

[Debra Valentine]

Villanova University in Pennsylvania was also rattled by a report of active shooter Sunday night that turned out to be a A person accused of attacking a group of ICE officers was released after allegedly damaging a vehicle and threatening officers.

[Reporter on ICE protest]

Dozens of protesters rallied outside of San Francisco's Federal Court Building waiting for the release of a person who DHS identified as Adrian Guerrero, a US Citizen who federal officials say assaulted ICE officers and threatened law enforcement by saying, quote, I'm going to go after your family and I'm going to stab you. Guerrero, who identifies as a woman and goes by the name Angie, was charged with assault and destruction of property after allegedly slashing the tire of a government vehicle. DHS says it happened on Wednesday when a group of about 15 to 20 anti ICE rioters in San Francisco assaulted, grabbed, punched and pepper sprayed ICE agents. Guerrero was later granted bail and surrounded by supporters after being released.

[Debra Valentine]

Fox's Justina Coleman America's listening to Fox News.

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[Debra Valentine]

President Trump is setting his sights on other major U.S. cities to send National Guard troops, too, as part of his efforts to crack down on crime and illegal immigration. Fox's Griff Jenkins reports President Trump is.

[Griff Jenkins]

Threatening to send National Guard troops to more cities to fight crime. They reportedly include Chicago, New York and Baltimore. Democratic leaders there say his claims of high crime don't match the facts. The president is also now threatening to cut funding to rebuild Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge unless the city addresses crime. Guard troops are already in our nation's capital.

[Debra Valentine]

A Pentagon official says those troops in Washington, D.C. are now carrying firearms. Only 11% of California's picket fire has been contained. A report from KTVU, Fox 2 San Francisco's John Krenjak.

[John Krenjak]

1200 firefighters from across the state surging into the fire zone. Crews rushing to contain what's known as a fire whirl. Using helicopters to hit the flames from above. Others tackling flare ups along the edge of the fire zone, using hoses to shore up containment lines to make sure they hold. At the Ink Grove Winery, the flames were just a few feet away from the grapes. One after another, we watched bone dry trees and bushes going up in flames in a matter of seconds. This thick smoke continues to billow from the picket fire. Air quality warnings have been extended as.

[Debra Valentine]

The fire has burned at least 60, 800 acres so far. The California Department of Forestry and fire says no structures have been destroyed. Iran's leader Ayatollah Khamenei with defiant words for Washington Sunday, suggesting that all nuclear negotiations are now off the table, calling issues between Iran and the US Unsolvable. Warning that Iran will never bow to the US in the nuclear standoff. I'm Debra Valentine. This is FOX News.

[Jimmy Falla]

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