2PM ET 10/23/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 2PM ET 10/23/2025

Episode Overview

This newscast delivers a rapid-fire roundup of significant national news stories, focusing on developments at the White House, federal policing initiatives, high-profile legal cases, state-level responses to federal actions, a troubling incident in Texas, and financial market updates. The tone is urgent and factual, with short direct statements from correspondents and major newsmakers.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. White House Demolition and Ballroom Project

• [00:02–00:13] The East Wing of the White House has been demolished as part of President Trump’s remodel plans.
  • Purpose: To make room for a privately funded ballroom.
  • Context: The modernization originally included the East Wing.
  • Assurance: White House Spokeswoman Caroline Levitt stresses that "it's not costing the taxpayers anything. The president is privately funding this ballroom addition" (Levitt, 00:17).
  • Historical References: Levitt compares the project to previous White House renovations.
  • Legal Basis: Demolition permitted even before construction plans are fully submitted.

2. Federal "Surge" in San Francisco Called Off

• [00:39–01:07] President Trump cancels a planned federal law enforcement operation in San Francisco.
  • Reason: Influenced by a call with the city's mayor, who reportedly is making progress in crime reduction.
  • Possible Motivation: Hints that the mayor is open to new law enforcement strategies, including possible immigration enforcement.
  • Notable Quote: "Stay tuned," indicating potential future developments (Correspondent, 01:07).
  • Background: The San Francisco mayor had publicly opposed federal intervention.

3. NBA Scandal: Illegal Betting and Mafia Ties

• [01:07–01:54] Federal indictments involve over 30 people, among them NBA personalities.
  • Notable Names: Portland Trailblazers Coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.
  • Charges: Illegal sports betting, conspiracy, wire fraud, and mafia-backed poker game rigging.
  • Federal Operation: "The years of investigative work...seem reminiscent of a Hollywood movie." (Homeland Security Special Agent Ricky Patel, 01:28)
  • NBA Response: Both Billups and Rozier put on leave.
  • Players’ Union: Concern over "the integrity of the game and presumption of innocence...hindered with player popularity misused" ([spokesperson], 01:51).

4. Illinois Pushes Back on Federal Immigration Tactics

• [02:15–02:56] Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker establishes an accountability commission to document alleged misconduct by federal immigration agents in Chicago.
  • Quote: "It is imperative that none of the impropriety, brutality and harassment perpetrated upon our people goes unnoticed." (Pritzker, 02:32)
  • Ongoing Litigation: Federal courts have temporarily blocked National Guard deployments; the case is before the Supreme Court.
  • White House Stance: Administration insists agents act in public safety interests.

5. Scuba Shop Scandal in Texas

• [03:02–03:55] A tragic incident at The Scuba Ranch in Kaufman County, TX, after a 12-year-old student dies during dive instruction.
  • Key Revelation: Shop owner Joe Johnson is caught on video making light of student deaths:
    • Quote: "All I know is we killed more people. We've never even done a deposition. My insurance company just says..." (Joe Johnson, 03:29)
  • Allegation: Johnson allegedly said his company is told "they can kill two people a year."
  • Investigation: The instructor who recorded the video sent it to oversight organizations; no evident follow-up action.

6. Financial Markets Update

• [03:55–end] Market indices rise amid volatile oil prices.
  • Dow Jones: Up 185 points.
  • Nasdaq: Up 1% (227 points).
  • Oil: Surges over 5%, but stays under $62/barrel.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Caroline Levitt, White House Spokeswoman [00:13]:

  "Trust the process. This is going to be a magnificent addition to the White House for many years to come, and it's not costing the taxpayers anything. The president is privately funding this ballroom addition..."

• Homeland Security Special Agent Ricky Patel [01:28]:

  "The years of investigative work that culminated with this morning's operation seem reminiscent of a Hollywood movie."

• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker [02:32]:

  "It is imperative that none of the impropriety, brutality and harassment perpetrated upon our people goes unnoticed."

• Joe Johnson, Scuba Shop Owner [03:29]:

  "All I know is we killed more people. We've never even done a deposition. My insurance company just says..."

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Segment Timestamps

• 00:02–00:39: White House Ballroom and Renovation Update
• 00:39–01:07: San Francisco Federal Law Enforcement Surge Canceled
• 01:07–01:54: NBA Legal Troubles—Illegal Betting Indictments
• 02:15–02:56: Illinois Fights Federal Immigration Tactics, Legal Battle
• 03:02–03:55: Texas Scuba Shop Under Fire for Casual Attitude After Death
• 03:55–end: Market Rally and Financial Update

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This update delivers a mix of politics, law enforcement, scandal, public accountability, and economic news, all with the signature brisk, direct style of the Fox News fast hourly format.

Transcript

[Fox News Anchor]

Demolition at the White House on the so Brady Fox News. The East Wing is gone as part of President Trump's plan to build a.

[Fox News Correspondent]

Ballroom, which originally included modernizing the East Wing.

[White House Spokeswoman Caroline Levitt]

Trust the process. This is going to be a magnificent addition to the White House for many years to come, and it's not costing the taxpayers anything. The president is privately funding this ballroom addition to the White House grounds.

[Fox News Anchor]

Spokeswoman Caroline Levitt holding up photos of previous White House projects in decades past while emphasizing a previous legal opinion that.

[Fox News Correspondent]

Demolition can happen even when construction plans have not yet been submitted.

[Fox News Anchor]

The president calls off a crackdown, just confirming that a federal surge planned for.

[Fox News Correspondent]

Saturday in San Francisco will not go forward. After a phone call last night with the San Francisco mayor and the president says with friends of his telling him the mayor is making progress on fighting.

[Fox News Anchor]

Crime, President Trump says federal agents can.

[Fox News Correspondent]

Work more quickly and remove criminals. The law does not permit the city to remove a possible reference to immigration.

[Fox News Anchor]

Enforcement, but he says the city wants.

[Fox News Correspondent]

To give it a shot, adding stay tuned. Before their call, the mayor had publicly condemned sending federal agents. A basketball hall of Famer heads to federal court. Portland Trailblazers Coach Chauncey Billups, one of more than 30 people charged in two indictments, one claiming illegal sports betting, the other a scheme to rig underground mafia backed poker games.

[Homeland Security Special Agent Ricky Patel]

The years of investigative work that culminated with this morning's operation seem reminiscent of a Hollywood movie.

[Fox News Anchor]

Homeland Security special Agent Ricky Patel says.

[Fox News Correspondent]

Arrests were made early today in nine states. Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier face money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy counts. The NBA says both are being put on leave from their teams.

[Fox News Anchor]

A players union spokesperson says the integrity of the game and presumption of innocence.

[Fox News Correspondent]

Are hindered with player popularity misused.

[Fox News Anchor]

America's Listening to Fox News, it's Will.

[Will Kane]

Kane Country Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through [e-mail] 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.

[Fox News Anchor]

Illinois's governor is setting up a commission he says will document harassment and abuse by federal agents deployed to Chicago.

[Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker]

Illinois Governor J.B. pritzker is establishing the Illinois Accountability Commission to document and archive the conduct of federal immigration agents in his state.

[Homeland Security Special Agent Ricky Patel]

It is imperative that none of the impropriety, brutality and harassment perpetrated upon our people goes unnoticed.

[Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker]

Pritzker has been a fierce critic of Operation Midway Blitz, the Trump administration surge of federal assets aimed at arresting migrants with criminal records. Federal courts have blocked President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Chicago, a challenge now being appealed to the U.S. supreme Court.

[Fox News Anchor]

Fox's Jared Halpern at the White House, the administration insists agents are acting in.

[Fox News Correspondent]

The interest of public safety. Safety.

[Fox News Anchor]

The owner of a scuba shop in Texas is caught on video casually dismissing.

[Fox News Correspondent]

Deaths that have happened during dive instruction.

[Jessica Rosenthal]

After the death of 12 year old Dylan Harrison. The Scuba Ranch in Kaufman County, Texas, suspended the instructor as well as the Scuba Toys shop which held the dive certification class. Now FOX for Dallas is reporting there's video taken by an instructor in which the owner of the scuba shop, Joe Johnson, is heard on tape saying this.

[Joe Johnson]

All I know is we killed more people. We've never even done a deposition. My insurance company just says he says.

[Jessica Rosenthal]

They'Ve been told they can kill two people a year. The instructor who took the video sent it to the regional director of the national association of Underwater Instructors, who forwarded it to the head of standards for the organization. But nothing was ever done. Jessica Rosenthal, FOX News.

[Fox News Anchor]

There's a rally right now on Wall Street. The Dow's up 185 points. The Nasdaq's up about 1%, 227 points. Oil prices surging more than 5%, but for now, still under $62 a barrel, at least. The Brady FOX News.