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

Host: Debra Valentine
Date: August 25, 2025

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.

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.

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.

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]

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.

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]

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]

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

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.

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.