2AM ET 10/18/2025 Newscast - Fox News Hourly Update

Summary4 min read

Fox News Hourly Update: 2AM ET 10/18/2025 – Episode Summary

Main Theme:
A concise roundup of major global and domestic political developments, with emphasis on U.S. foreign policy moves involving Russia, Ukraine, China, and Venezuela, as well as high-profile legal and political news.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S.-Ukraine-Russia Tensions [00:02–00:43]

Zelensky Visits the White House:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met President Donald Trump to discuss strategies to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The backdrop is Trump’s impending meeting with Vladimir Putin in Hungary.
- Trump is pressuring European and NATO allies to halt remaining energy purchases from Russia. This is presented as a precondition for the U.S. enacting stricter sanctions on Moscow.
  - Debra Valentine: “President Trump is pressuring European nations and NATO members to halt all remaining energy purchases from Russia as a condition for the US to impose more aggressive sanctions on Moscow.” [00:22]
- India Steps Back on Russian Oil:
  - Maria Bartiromo notes, “India will not be buying oil from Russia and they've...stopped. They're pulling back. They bought about 38% of the oil and they won't be doing it anymore.” [00:28]
Weapons to Ukraine:
President Trump is reluctant to approve Ukraine’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles, citing supply concerns.
- Debra Valentine: "President Trump told Zelensky he is hesitant to approve Ukraine's request for long range Tomahawk missiles from the US in order to ensure the Tomahawk supply for the country." [00:43]

2. John Bolton Indicted on Classified Documents Charges [00:43–01:48]

Bolton Pleads Not Guilty:
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton faces 18 federal charges for mishandling classified documents, including sharing top-secret White House information with family via emails and messaging apps.
- David Spot: “Bolton is facing charges of not only keeping top secret classified information, but sharing it with family members...The DOJ says he sent diary-like entries about his workdays at the White House and shared information classified up to the top secret SCI level.” [01:05]
Bolton Denounces Prosecution:
In a statement, Bolton suggests political retribution:
- Bolton (read by Spot): “Now I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.” [01:38]
Iranian Hackers:
Prosecutors claim Iranian-linked operatives accessed some classified documents through hacked email accounts.

3. U.S. Action Against Venezuelan Cartels [03:12–03:42]

Military Strike & Cartel Arrests:
Two accused members of a Venezuelan drug cartel were captured after surviving a U.S. military strike on their boat—the sixth known such US strike, cumulatively resulting in nearly 30 deaths.
- Kevin Cork: “President Trump is warning targets inside Venezuela. They could also be soon hit. The campaign believed to be part of a broader effort to oust the country's president, who many believe is illegitimate.” [03:19]
Civil Liberties Concerns:
The ACLU warns that these strikes could risk civilian deaths—a claim the Trump administration denies.

4. Escalating U.S.-China Trade War [03:42–04:42]

Tariffs and Rare Earths Showdown:
President Trump threatens a 100% tariff on Chinese goods in retaliation for China limiting exports of rare earth minerals essential for electronics and high-tech products.
- Jared Halpern: “President Trump says he'll slap an additional 100% tariff on Chinese goods starting next month.” [04:01]
Impact & Industry Reactions:
China has halted purchases of US soybeans. Trump and President Xi are set to meet in South Korea.
- Maria Bartiromo: “It's not sustainable, but that's what the number is.” [04:14]
- Halpern: “China forced the move. Beijing has also stopped purchasing US Grown soybeans since tariffs were put in place.” [04:21]

5. George Santos Sentence Commuted [04:42–05:09]

Santos Released from Prison:
President Trump commutes former Congressman George Santos's prison sentence. Santos was serving over seven years for fraud and identity theft, admitting to deceiving donors and stealing numerous identities, including from his own family, to fund his campaign.
- Debra Valentine: “Santos was released from a New Jersey prison Friday.” [05:09]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Europe & Russia:
- Debra Valentine [00:22]: “President Trump is pressuring European nations and NATO members to halt all remaining energy purchases from Russia...”
On India’s energy move:
- Maria Bartiromo [00:28]: “India will not be buying oil from Russia and they've...stopped...They bought about 38% of the oil and they won't be doing it anymore.”
On John Bolton’s charges:
- David Spot [01:05]: “Bolton is facing charges of not only keeping top secret classified information, but sharing it with family members identified as Person 1 and Person 2.”
- Bolton (via Spot) [01:38]: “Now I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies...”
On U.S. action in Venezuela:
- Kevin Cork [03:19]: “President Trump is warning targets inside Venezuela. They could also be soon hit.”
On U.S.-China trade:
- Jared Halpern [04:01]: “President Trump says he'll slap an additional 100% tariff on Chinese goods starting next month.”
- Maria Bartiromo [04:14]: “It's not sustainable, but that's what the number is.”
On George Santos:
- Debra Valentine [04:42]: “President Trump has commuted the sentence of former Republican Congressman George Santos, who'd been serving more than seven years in prison...”

Timestamps for Key Segments

Ukraine War & Russia Pressure: [00:02–00:43]
Bolton Legal Case: [00:43–01:48]
Venezuelan Cartel & Strikes: [03:12–03:42]
US-China Trade War: [03:42–04:42]
George Santos Release: [04:42–05:09]

Overall Tone:
Swift, direct, and focused on high-stakes international politics and legal issues, reflecting the brisk, news-first style of Fox News hourly briefs.

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Transcript16 lines

[00:03]
Debra Valentine
Pressuring Russia. I'm Debra Valentine, Fox News. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with President Donald Trump at the White House Friday. The two leaders discussing ending Russia's war in Ukraine ahead of President Trump's meeting with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Hungary. President Trump is pressuring European nations and NATO members to halt all remaining energy purchases from Russia as a condition for the US to impose more aggressive sanctions on Moscow.
[00:28]
Maria Bartiromo
India will not be buying oil from Russia and they've already de escalated and they've more or less stopped. They're pulling back. They bought about 38% of the oil and they won't be doing it anymore.
[00:44]
Debra Valentine
President Trump told Zelensky he is hesitant to approve Ukraine's request for long range Tomahawk missiles from the US in order to ensure the Tomahawk supply for the country. Former President Trump national security Adviser John Bolton pleads not guilty to 18 counts of mishandling handling classified documents. Fox's David Spot reports from Greenbelt, Maryland.
[01:05]
David Spot
Not a word from the former ambassador and former national security advisor. When I asked him if he had a comment, this is as he walked into the courthouse. Bolton is facing charges of not only keeping top secret classified information, but sharing it with family members identified as Person 1 and Person 2. The DOJ says he sent diary like entries about his work days at the White House and shared information classified up to the top secret SCI level, sharing that information on messaging, apps and personal email accounts. Bolton says of Trump in a statement. His former boss, quote, now I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.
[01:49]
Debra Valentine
Prosecutors say some of the information Bolton gathered was exposed when operatives believed to be linked to Iran hacked his email account. America's listening to Fox News.
[01:59]
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[03:12]
Debra Valentine
Two people accused of being part of a Venezuelan drug Cartel are in U.S. custody. Fox's Kevin Cork in Washington has details.
[03:20]
Kevin Cork
This after they survived a US Military strike on their boat Thursday. It is the sixth known US Strike on alleged cartel operations off the Venezuelan coast. So far, those attacks have killed nearly 30 people, and now President Trump is warning targets inside Venezuela. They could also be soon hit. The campaign believed to be part of a broader effort to oust the country's president, who many believe is illegitimate.
[03:43]
Debra Valentine
The American Civil Liberties Union says the Trump administration's strikes on Venezuelan boats could result in civilian deaths, which the administration denies. President Trump is blaming China for escalating a trade war with the US as he threatens severe tariffs. Fox's Jared Halpern has more from the White House.
[04:01]
Jared Halpern
In response to China tightening exports of of rare earth minerals needed for a range of electronic and high end products, President Trump says he'll slap an additional 100% tariff on Chinese goods starting next month.
[04:14]
Maria Bartiromo
It's not sustainable, but that's what the number is. It's probably not, you know, it could.
[04:21]
Jared Halpern
Stand the president telling Fox Business Network's Maria Bartiromo. China forced the move. Beijing has also stopped purchasing US Grown soybeans since tariffs were put in place. President Trump is expected to meet later this month with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit in South Korea at the White House. Jared Halpern, FOX News President Trump has.
[04:42]
Debra Valentine
Commuted the sentence of former Republican Congressman George Santos, who'd been serving more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges. The New York Republican was sentenced in April after admitting last year to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people, including his own family members, to make donations to his campaign. Santos was released from a New Jersey prison Friday. I'm Deborah Valentine. This is Fox.
[05:09]
Will Tain
It's Will Tain Country. Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through Thursday@foxnews.com or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss the show. Listen and follow the podcast five days a week at foxnewspodcasts.com or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.