Summary4 min read

Fox News Hourly Update – 3PM ET 11/20/2025 Newscast

Host: Lisa Brady (FOX News Podcasts)
Date: November 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This hourly update delivers a fast-paced summary of the biggest national news stories as of November 20, 2025. Core topics include White House reactions to congressional calls directed at military personnel, a federal crackdown on state-issued commercial driver’s licenses, new drilling plans off coastal states, a major CDC website change on vaccine safety and autism, high-level White House meetings regarding Ukraine, and a memorial service for former Vice President Dick Cheney. The newscast is marked by urgent tone, key quotes from government figures, and a focus on factual updates.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. White House Reacts to Congressional Democrats’ Video ([00:03]–[00:39])

Background: Several Democratic members of Congress with military/intelligence background released a video urging service members to refuse illegal orders—without citing specific examples.
White House Response: Lisa Brady relays President’s description of this as “seditious behavior.”
Spokeswoman Statement:
- Caroline Levitt ([00:23]):
  
  “Our military rests on the chain of command. And if that chain of command is broken, it can lead to people getting killed. It can lead to chaos. And that's what these members of Congress who swore an oath to abide by the Constitution are essentially encouraging.”
Key Detail: The White House does not seek execution for these members, though online rhetoric mentioned sedition being punishable by death.
- Notable for the clarification that political disagreement is not fueling a call for extreme punishment.

2. Pennsylvania Faces Millions in Federal Funding Loss over Commercial Driver’s Licenses ([00:54]–[01:30])

DOT Investigation: Federal regulators revealed Pennsylvania issued “non-domicile” commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to applicants without verified legal status.
Secretary’s Response:
- Sean Duffy ([00:54]):
  
  “The violations came to light after an ICE arrest of a suspected terrorist who reportedly received a CDL from Pennsylvania. The DOT is ordering the state to revoke the illegally issued licenses and fix what it calls serious failures in this CDL program.”
State's Defense: Governor of Pennsylvania claims Homeland Security failed to properly maintain the immigration status database used for license checks.

3. Trump Administration Opens New Offshore Oil Drilling ([01:30]–[02:00])

Policy Announcement:
- New five-year plan includes six lease sales off California and over twenty off Alaska.
- Also proposes drilling off Florida coast—the first such action in decades.
Implication: Marks a substantial energy policy shift and likely to generate environmental and political debate.

4. CDC Website Rewrites Vaccine-Autism Statements ([02:17]–[03:06])

Controversial Change:
- CDC reworded its statement on its vaccine safety site, now saying “vaccines not being a cause for autism is not evidence based,” which challenges long-standing conclusions.
Influence of Leadership:
- Change aligns with prior comments from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. ([02:24]):
  
  “The rewording goes further to say prior studies which support a link between vaccines and autism had been disregarded by health authorities… caught many off guard at the CDC, which had been in line with food and Drug Administration promotion of no autism link in its approved vaccines.”
Next Steps: Health and Human Services launching a comprehensive assessment of autism’s causes. The White House emphasizes ongoing updates “to reflect evidence based science.”

5. Ukraine Peace Talks – White House Update ([03:06]–[03:30])

Recent Activity: The Trump administration reportedly engaged in “good conversations” with Ukrainian and other officials about ending the war in Ukraine.
Notable Development: White House confirms recent meetings involving senior administration and Ukrainian officials; details remain limited.

6. Nation Mourns Former Vice President Dick Cheney ([03:30]–[03:52])

Memorial at National Cathedral: All living former vice presidents attended.
Eulogy by George W. Bush ([03:44]):

“Dick was funny and easygoing in a style that his public image never caught up with, though we can all agree one your standard issue politician.”
Background: Cheney, who died at 84, served from 2001–2009 and was father to former Congresswoman Liz Cheney.

7. Stock Market Update ([04:06])

Wall Street:
- Dow down 174 points at close.

Notable Quotes and Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:23 | Caroline Levitt | “Our military rests on the chain of command. And if that chain of command is broken...chaos.” | | 00:54 | Sean Duffy | “The violations came to light after an ICE arrest of a suspected terrorist...serious failures.” | | 02:24 | Robert Kennedy Jr.| “The CDC site...now says the statement of vaccines not being a cause for autism is not evidence based.” | | 03:44 | George W. Bush | “Dick was funny and easygoing in a style that his public image never caught up with...” |

Timestamps for Key Segments

White House on Congress & Military Orders: [00:03] – [00:39]
Pennsylvania CDL Stand-off: [00:54] – [01:30]
New Offshore Oil Drilling: [01:30] – [02:00]
CDC Alters Vaccine & Autism Language: [02:17] – [03:06]
Ukraine Peace Talks: [03:06] – [03:30]
Dick Cheney Memorial: [03:30] – [03:52]
Wall Street Update: [04:06]

The episode provides quick, factual news on key political, policy, public health, and international affairs, delivered in FOX's signature direct and urgent style.

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Transcript16 lines

[00:04]
Lisa Brady
The president calls it seditious behavior. On Lisa Brady, FOX News Reacting with a post to a recent video by several congressional Democrats who have military or intelligence experience urging service members to disobey illegal orders without offering any examples, White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt the sanctity of.
[00:23]
Caroline Levitt
Our military rests on the chain of command. And if that chain of command is broken, it can lead to people getting killed. It can lead to chaos. And that's what these members of Congress who swore an oath to abide by the Constitution are essentially encouraging.
[00:40]
Lisa Brady
She says they should be held accountable, but that the president does not want members of Congress executed. After one post about sedition being punishable by death, another state could lose millions in federal funding as part of a crackdown on foreign commercial drivers.
[00:55]
Sean Duffy
The Transportation Department is threatening to withhold nearly $75 million from Pennsylvania after federal regulators found the state illegally issued non domicile commercial driver's licenses, or CDLs, to applicants whose legal status was not verified. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says the violations came to light after an ICE arrest of a suspected terrorist who reportedly received a CDL from Pennsylvania. The DOT is ordering the state to revoke the illegally issued licenses and fix what it calls serious failures in this CDL program.
[01:30]
Lisa Brady
Fox's Carmen Roberts, Pennsylvania's governor, has suggested Homeland Security has failed to properly maintain a database used by the states to check an immigrant's legal status. For the first time in decades, the Trump administration plans to open up new oil drilling off the California and Florida coasts. There's a plan proposing six offshore lease sales off the coast of California. The five year plan would also compel more than 20 lease sales off the coast of Alaska. America is listening to FOX News. This is Ainsley Earhart.
[02:01]
Sean Duffy
Thank you for joining me for the.
[02:02]
Lisa Brady
52 episode podcast series the Life of.
[02:04]
Ainsley Earhart
Jesus, a listening experience that will provide hope, comfort and understanding of the greatest story ever told. Listen and follow starting November 30th on foxnewspodcasts.com Fox News There's a controversial change.
[02:17]
Lisa Brady
On a website at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contradicting long held conclusions about a possible cause for autism.
[02:24]
Robert Kennedy Jr.
The CDC site focused on vaccine safety now says the statement of vaccines not being a cause for autism is not evidence based. The rewording goes further to say prior studies which support a link between vaccines and autism had been disregarded by health authorities. The changes that fall in line with prior public comments by Health and Human Services secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. Caught many off guard at the CDC, which had been in line with food and Drug Administration promotion of no autism link in its approved vaccines. It's not clear if the website change was from within the CDC or was ordered by Secretary Kennedy.
[03:07]
Lisa Brady
Says Health and Human Services has launched a comprehensive assessment of autism causes and that the CDC website is being updated to reflect evidence based science. The White House says the Trump administration is having good conversations with both sides on ending the war in Ukraine, confirming meetings in recent days with senior administration officials and Ukrainian officials. A farewell in Washington to a former vice president.
[03:31]
Jared Halpern
Every living former vice president paid their respects to Dick Cheney at a memorial service at the National Cathedral Cathedral in Washington. The president that Cheney served for eight years, George W. Bush, called the former vice president smart and polished without heirs.
[03:45]
George W. Bush
Dick was funny and easygoing in a style that his public image never caught up with, though we can all agree one your standard issue politician.
[03:53]
Jared Halpern
Cheney died earlier this month at the age of 84. His daughter, Liz Cheney, served in Congress, a Republican representing Wyoming from 2017 to 2023 at the White House. Jared Halpern, FOX NEWS an hour to.
[04:07]
Lisa Brady
The close on Wall Street, a sell off. The Dow's down 174. I'm Lisa Brady.
[04:11]
Ainsley Earhart
FOX News It's William Country Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through Thursday@fox news.com or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss the show. Listen and follow the podcast five days a week at Fox newspodcasts.com or wherever you download your favorite podcast.