2PM ET 08/25/2025 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update — 2PM ET 08/25/2025 Newscast

Host: Therese Crowley
Date: August 25, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers a fast-paced national news roundup, focusing on law enforcement initiatives by President Trump, high-profile criminal prosecutions, space exploration updates, and controversy over FEMA policy changes. Key voices include President Donald Trump, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker, NASA experts, and FOX News reporters. The tone is urgent, direct, and focused on current events.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Expansion of Federal Crime Enforcement and Cashless Bail (00:02–01:23)

• Main Story: President Trump signs new executive orders targeting federal crime enforcement, vowing to eliminate cashless bail nationwide by threatening withdrawal of federal funds from noncompliant jurisdictions.
• President Trump on Cashless Bail:

  "Somebody kills somebody, they go in, don't worry about it, no cash, come back in a couple of months, we'll give you a trial. You never see the person again... They kill people and they get out cashless bail. They thought it was discriminatory to make people put up money because they just killed three people lying on the street."
  — Donald Trump [00:20]

• Chicago as Next Target: Trump signals Chicago is "next" for federal enforcement, labeling it a "disaster and a killing field."
• Response from Illinois Governor:

  "I don't know who in Washington thinks that Chicago is some sort of hellhole, but you may need to look inward."
  — J. B. Pritzker [01:01]

• Results in D.C.: Trump boasts about the impact of federal enforcement in Washington, D.C.:

  "For 11 days, Washington was the most dangerous place in this country. And now you know what? It's probably the safest place in our country."
  — Donald Trump [01:14]

2. High-Profile Criminal Cases (01:23–02:02)

• Sinaloa Cartel Leader Pleads Guilty:
  • Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, former Sinaloa cartel boss, pleads guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in Brooklyn.
  • Prosecutors detail the cartel's evolution under Zambada and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, involving "assassinations, kidnappings, and torture."
  • Prosecutors agree not to seek the death penalty.

3. Immigration Enforcement & Legal Proceedings (02:16–03:02)

• Case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia:
  • Identified as a suspected gang member and human smuggler.
  • Initially deported from Maryland to El Salvador; a judge forces return over lack of due process.
  • Upon arrival, faces indictment for alleged immigrant trafficking.
  • His lawyer challenges ongoing detention and potential deportation to Uganda.

4. NASA Mars Simulation Project (03:02–03:53)

• Human Mars Mission Research:
  • NASA and SpaceX collaborate on plans for Mars exploration.
  • Four volunteers at a time simulate Mars life for over a year in a Houston habitat.
  • Organizational psychologist Suzanne Bell on national priorities:

    "Our president has given us a very clear directive to land the first humans on Mars, and we'd like those to be Americans."
    — Suzanne Bell [03:41]

  • Next volunteer mission scheduled for October.

5. FEMA Policy Controversy (03:53–04:13)

• Trump's FEMA Proposal: President Trump proposes shifting FEMA disaster relief to state control.
• Internal Pushback: 180 current/former FEMA workers warn in an open letter that such changes could spark disasters akin to Hurricane Katrina's aftermath, which marks its 20th anniversary.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Trump on being called a "dictator":

  "I'm a man with common sense. And when you see what's happening in our cities and send in troops, instead of being praised, they say you're trying to take over the republic."
  [00:37]

• Pritzker rebuts D.C.'s view of Chicago:

  "You may need to look inward."
  [01:01]

• NASA’s national ambition:

  "We'd like those to be Americans."
  —Suzanne Bell [03:41]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:02–01:23 — Crime enforcement executive orders, cashless bail policy, Chicago crime debate
• 01:23–02:02 — Sinaloa Cartel leader plea deal and background
• 02:16–03:02 — Kilmar Abrego Garcia immigration/deportation case
• 03:02–03:53 — NASA's Mars living experiment and future plans
• 03:53–04:13 — FEMA policy upheaval and warnings from within

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Overall Tone and Style

The episode is brisk, assertive, and focused on tangible developments. Direct quotations from key figures maintain a newsy, matter-of-fact delivery. The content is concise but packed with details on policy, public safety, scientific advancement, and political debate.

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For listeners who missed this update, these bullet points deliver the essential news, context, and standout moments from the 2PM Fox News Radio newscast.

Transcript

[Therese Crowley]

Boosting federal enforcement. I'm Therese Crowley, Fox News. President Trump signing a series of executive orders in the Oval Office and taking questions for over an hour on expanding his federal crime enforcement from D.C. with a move to eliminate cashless bail for suspects in any jurisdiction by threatening to revoke federal funding.

[Donald Trump]

Somebody kills somebody, they go in, don't worry about it, no cash, come back in a couple of months, we'll give you a trial. You never see the person again. And I mean, they kill people and they get out cashless bill. They thought it was discriminatory to make people put up money because they just killed three people lying on the street.

[Therese Crowley]

President Trump says to critics who call him a dictator, he's a man with common sense. And when you see what's happening in our cities and send in troops, instead of being praised, they say you're trying to take over the republic. But President Trump suggests Chicago is next on his federal enforcement list, which he calls a disaster and a killing field. Illinois Democrat Governor J.B. pritzker responds with a video on X of himself walking along the Chicago lakefront.

[J.B. Pritzker]

I don't know who in Washington. Washington thinks that Chicago is some sort of hellhole, but you may need to look inward.

[Therese Crowley]

But President Trump notes that since the D.C. federal criminal enforcement, there have been no murders in the District.

[Donald Trump]

For 11 days, Washington was the most dangerous place in this country. And now you know what? It's probably the safest place in our country. Everyone's starting to come here.

[Therese Crowley]

He's meeting with the South Korean president. Now Mexican drug lord Ismael El Mayo Zambada pleads guilty to federal drug trafficking charges. The Sentinel cartel leader before a federal judge in Brooklyn for a change of plea hearing after prosecutors said they wouldn't seek the death penalty. Prosecutors say the Sinaloa cartel evolved into the world's largest drug trafficking group under the leadership of Zambada and co founder Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, with hitmen who carried out assassinations, kidnappings and torture. America's listening to FOX News.

[Janice Dean]

I'm Janice Dean. Join me every Sunday as I focus on stories of hope and people who are truly rays of sunshine in their community and across the world.

[Fox News Podcast Announcer]

Listen and follow [e-mail].

[Therese Crowley]

The so called Maryland man Kilmar Abrego Garcia, suspected gang member, human smugglers bound for Uganda. Fox's rein schmalz on what happened after I reported to an ICE facility in Baltimore for a check in.

[Ryan Schmells]

Kilmar Abrego, Garcia's lawyer, confirming the news to frustrated Protesters in Baltimore Mr. Abrego.

[Jonathan Serry]

Garcia was taken into custody by ICE this morning.

[Ryan Schmells]

Abrego Garcia was living in Maryland when he was deported to El Salvador but ordered to be returned by a judge who ruled he wasn't given due process. Recently, he was brought back to the United States to face an indictment for allegedly trafficking illegal immigrants. His lawyer says he will be filing a lawsuit to challenge his current confinement and deportation to Uganda or any other country. In Washington, Ryan Schmells, FOX News.

[Therese Crowley]

NASA ponders is there life on Mars and what would it be like for humans? Some adventurous volunteers will get opportunity to forge that existence. Fox's Jonathan Serry reporting from Atlanta.

[Jonathan Serry]

As SpaceX works to improve its giant starship rocket to one day carry the first humans to Mars, NASA is studying the equally daunting physiological and psychological hurdles those first explorers may face. Four volunteers at a time spend more than a year living and working inside a 1700 square foot habitat at Johnson Space center in Houston. Overseeing the NASA study is organizational psychologist Suzanne Bell.

[Suzanne Bell]

Our president has given us a very clear directive to land the first humans on Mars, and we'd like those to be Americans.

[Jonathan Serry]

Four new volunteers are scheduled to begin the next mission this coming October. In Atlanta, Jonathan Siri, FOX News.

[Therese Crowley]

With Trump plans to turn FEMA disaster relief over to states, 180 current and former FEMA workers published a letter warning that cuts to the agency risk a catastrophe like the one seen after Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago this week. Therese Crowley, this is FOX News.

[Jimmy Phela]

This is Jimmy Phela inviting you to join me for FOX Across America, where we'll discuss every single one of the Democrats dumb ideas. Just kidding. It's only a three hour show. Listen live at noon Eastern or get the podcast at foxacrossamerica. Com.