Fox News Hourly Update – 3AM ET 12/25/2025 Newscast
Host: Debra Valentine (FOX News)
Air Date: December 25, 2025
Episode Theme:
This special Christmas broadcast provides listeners with major updates from the Vatican, breaking national news, U.S. military and political developments, extreme weather in California, and a record Powerball jackpot — all wrapped up in a concise news format.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Christmas Celebrations at the Vatican and in New York
- Pope Leo XIV’s First Midnight Mass (00:02-00:33)
- Pope Leo XIV delivered his inaugural Christmas midnight mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Chanley Painter: “In his homily, he urged kindness to strangers and the poor. And earlier in the week, he called for global peace on Christmas Day.” (00:17)
- Earlier in the day, he greeted crowds via jumbo screens in St. Peter’s Square.
- Pope Leo is scheduled for another mass on Christmas Day, a tradition last held in 1994 by Pope John Paul II.
- Retiring New York Cardinal’s Final Christmas Eve Mass (00:33-00:53)
- Retiring Cardinal Timothy Dolan welcomes thousands at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
- Cardinal Dolan: “A blessed Christmas, everybody. You are at home for Christmas here in America's parish church, St. Patrick's Cathedral. We're grateful for your company this evening.” (00:41)
- Pope Leo XIV recently named Bishop Ronald Hicks of Illinois as Dolan’s successor.
- Retiring Cardinal Timothy Dolan welcomes thousands at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
2. Shooting Involving ICE Agents in Maryland
- Incident Details and Updates (00:53-01:53)
- A confrontation with ICE in Glen Burnie, Maryland left two undocumented immigrants hospitalized.
- Jeff Abel: “An ICE agent had fired at the driver of this van after the driver had attempted to run him over… The driver of the van as Tiego Alexandre Sousa Martins from Portugal… The passenger is... Solomon Antonio Soriano Esquivel, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador.” (01:10-01:34)
- The suspects were positively identified when the confrontation turned violent, resulting in several ICE vehicles hit and the officer discharging his weapon.
- Both suspects were injured; only one by gunfire.
- A confrontation with ICE in Glen Burnie, Maryland left two undocumented immigrants hospitalized.
3. Presidential Election in Honduras
- Trump-Backed Victory (02:31-03:08)
- After weeks of counting, Nasri Asfara wins the Honduran presidential election.
- Jared Halpern: “The conservative candidate was endorsed by President Trump in a closely contested race that served as a rebuke to the current leftist government.” (02:43)
- Jared Halpern: “Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the Trump administration looks forward to working with Asfara to advance prosperity and security in our hemisphere…” (02:51)
- The conservative win comes on the heels of a similar shift in Chile.
- After weeks of counting, Nasri Asfara wins the Honduran presidential election.
4. U.S. Military “Warrior Dividend”
- President Trump’s Christmas Eve Call to Troops (03:08-03:27)
- President Trump contacts military members from Mar-a-Lago, discussing the new “warrior dividend”.
- Cardinal Dolan (possible audio confusion with Trump’s quote): “Which he announced last week was 1775. And I said, you know, if you had $1, it's 1776. And everyone said, well, we never thought of it, but that $1 was pretty cool.” (03:15)
- 1.5 million service members eligible; funded through extra military housing allowance provisions passed earlier in the year.
- President Trump contacts military members from Mar-a-Lago, discussing the new “warrior dividend”.
5. Southern California Flood Emergency
- Severe Weather and State of Emergency (03:27-04:05)
- Torrential rain leads to mudslides, washed out roads, power outages, and a state of emergency in several counties.
- William Lajeunesse: “They've closed major canyons connecting the valley to the LA Basin and the beach cities because of mud and rock slides… Major flooding… roads flooded, streets down, power lines and trees.” (03:42)
- The Santa Monica Mountains and San Gabriel watershed particularly hard-hit.
- Torrential rain leads to mudslides, washed out roads, power outages, and a state of emergency in several counties.
6. Powerball Jackpot Winner
- Record Lottery Payout on Christmas Eve (04:05-04:26)
- The winning ticket for the $1.82 billion Powerball jackpot was sold in Arkansas.
- Debra Valentine: “The winning numbers: 4, 25, 31, 52 and 59. The Powerball is 19.” (04:17)
- The winning ticket for the $1.82 billion Powerball jackpot was sold in Arkansas.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Pope Leo XIV (via Chanley Painter): “In his homily, he urged kindness to strangers and the poor.” (00:17)
- Cardinal Timothy Dolan: “A blessed Christmas, everybody. You are at home for Christmas here in America's parish church, St. Patrick's Cathedral…” (00:41)
- Jared Halpern (on Asfara’s win): “The conservative candidate was endorsed by President Trump in a closely contested race that served as a rebuke to the current leftist government.” (02:43)
- William Lajeunesse: “They've closed major canyons connecting the valley to the LA Basin and the beach cities because of mud and rock slides.” (03:42)
Key Timestamps
| Time | Segment | |---------|-------------------------------------------| | 00:02 | Opening, Christmas at Vatican & NY | | 00:53 | ICE Shooting, Maryland | | 02:31 | Honduras Presidential Election | | 03:08 | President Trump’s Christmas Call to Troops| | 03:27 | California Flood Emergency | | 04:05 | Powerball Jackpot Winner |
The episode highlights a blend of global religious observance, U.S. immigration enforcement, Latin American political shifts, military benefits, extreme weather, and festive fortune—an eventful Christmas hour on Fox News.