3PM ET 12/23/2025 Newscast

Summary

---

Fox News Hourly Update – 3PM ET 12/23/2025 Newscast

Date: December 23, 2025
Host: Paul Stevens
Correspondents: Alexandria Hall, Darren Botello, Chad Pergrim, Madison Allworth
Network: FOX News Radio

---

Episode Overview

This newscast delivers a concise roundup of the latest national and international headlines, including newly released DOJ documents regarding Jeffrey Epstein, economic updates from the White House, severe weather alerts in Louisiana, an ICE crackdown on illegal migrant truck drivers, political strategy analysis for the upcoming midterms, and a report on a possible SpaceX land deal in Texas. The tone is urgent and direct, keeping listeners quickly informed of the day's most pressing stories.

---

Key Segments and Discussion Points

1. New DOJ Documents on Jeffrey Epstein

• [00:02–00:42]

  • The Justice Department has released more materials related to Jeffrey Epstein.

  • Noteworthy revelations:

    • Epstein used a fake passport in the 1980s listing Saudi Arabia as his residence.
    • A mysterious email from “the Invisible Man,” sent from Balmoral Castle in 2001 to Ghislaine Maxwell, asking:
      • Quote: "Have you found me some new inappropriate friends? It signed just a."
      • Significant speculation points to former Prince Andrew, referenced elsewhere as being uncooperative with the federal probe.

  • The DOJ also notes some documents include "untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump" from before the 2020 election.

  • Notable Quote:

    • Alexandria Hall [00:11]: "Revelations are there, like a fake passport that Epstein used in the 80s listing Saudi Arabia as his place of residence. Also an apparent link to the British royal family..."

---

2. White House Economic News

• [00:42–01:21]

  • Strong third quarter GDP growth at 4.3%, surprising analysts.

  • President credits tariffs for the growth on Truth Social.

  • Looking ahead to 2026, emphasis on anticipated benefits from the "one big beautiful bill" with forthcoming tax breaks.

  • Notable Quote:

    • Darren Botello [01:02]: "There's going to be a lot more money in people's pockets in 2026 because of the one big beautiful bill with those tax breaks."

---

3. Severe Weather Preparations in Louisiana

• [01:21–01:44]

  • LA County is preparing for dangerous storms: heavy rains, high winds up to 60mph, and flash floods.

  • Burn scar zones are under evacuation warnings.

  • Emergency measures activated, including search and rescue teams and Air Rescue 5 helicopter.

  • Notable Quote:

    • Sheriff Robert Lun (via Darren Botello) [01:33]: "We have activated key emergency resources including search and rescue teams and Air Rescue 5 helicopter which is equipped to deploy swift water rescue capabilities if needed."

---

4. ICE Crackdown on Truck Drivers

• [02:31–02:56]

  • ICE has detained over 100 alleged illegal immigrant truck drivers in California following deadly crashes involving commercial drivers.

  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasizes necessity for proper training and English proficiency.

  • Notable Quote:

    • Sean Duffy (via Darren Botello) [02:44]: "You can't speak English if you haven't gone through the proper training courses. You shouldn't be behind the wheel of a big rig. These are 80,000 pound vehicles. That can be incredibly dangerous when things go wrong."

---

5. 2026 Midterm Election Battle

• [02:56–03:38]

  • White House threatens to withhold funds from states issuing CDLs to illegal migrants.

  • Analysis of election battlegrounds: Democrats looking to expand their map, needing moderate candidates to flip key seats; Republicans highlight the "big beautiful bill" as a campaign issue.

  • Anticipation of investigations or possible impeachments if Democrats win the House.

  • Notable Quote:

    • Chad Pergrim [03:10]: "Democrats must run the right candidates in the right districts. It's possible that a more moderate Democrat could have helped the party flip a seat in Tennessee during a recent special election."

---

6. SpaceX/Texas Wildlife Refuge Land Swap

• [03:38–04:14]

  • The Trump White House is considering giving SpaceX access to approximately 800 acres of wildlife refuge land in Texas, adjacent to their current site.

  • In return, SpaceX would donate hundreds of acres of its own property to expand their rocket facilities.

  • Conservationists express concern for endangered ocelot habitats in the targeted refuge area.

  • Notable Quote:

    • Madison Allworth [03:48]: "Conservationists, though, are not so happy. They worry that SpaceX would degrade tracts that are home to endangered species like the ocelot."

---

7. Market Update

• [04:14–04:25]
  • Stock market update: The Dow is up 96 points, about 0.21% with less than an hour before market close.

---

Memorable Moments & Tone

• The segment on the Epstein documents features both intrigue (the “Invisible Man” signature) and direct commentary on potential royal involvement, feeding public speculation.
• The White House’s upbeat framing of economic news—“one big beautiful bill”—stands out as explicitly campaign-focused rhetoric.
• The weather emergency coverage is brisk and urgent, with reassurances of robust local preparedness.

---

Further Listening

• The episode closes with Ainsley Earhart previewing a separate faith-based podcast series, but the main news content ends at approximately [04:25].

---

Conclusion

This fast-paced newscast offers comprehensive coverage of headline stories: significant legal and political developments, urgent public safety alerts, and strategic insights into the coming election cycle. Listeners are left with both the facts and a sense of the ongoing national conversation on pressing issues—from criminal investigations with global reach, to anxiety over national security and environmental stewardship, to the political jockeying shaping America’s future.

---

Transcript

[Paul Stevens]

Another release. I'm Paul Stevens, Fox News. The Justice Department releasing more documents connected to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

[Alexandria Hall]

Revelations are there, like a fake passport that Epstein used in the 80s listing Saudi Arabia as his place of residence. Also an apparent link to the British royal family with a sender titled the Invisible man, writing in an email that he was writing from Balmoral Castle to Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001, asking have you found me some new inappropriate friends? It signed just a. The sender is not identified, but many readers suspect that this points to former Prince Andrew, who is noted elsewhere in the documents as providing zero cooperation in the federal Epstein probe.

[Paul Stevens]

That's fox's Alexandria hall, the DOJ also claiming in a post on X that some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted before the 2020 election. The White House meantime, celebrating better than expected GDP growth. Fox this is Darren Botello.

[Darren Botello]

4.3% growth in the third quarter, bucking the trend, not what a lot of analysts expected. The president posting on Truth Social crediting the tariffs for all this growth. Also talking about the future of our country. Of course, there's going to be a lot more money in people's pockets in 2026 because of the one big beautiful bill with those tax breaks.

[Paul Stevens]

And again, fox's Darren Botello from the White House, Louisiana county bracing for a storm system expected to bring heavy rain and dangerous weather conditions. LA County Sheriff Robert Lun.

[Darren Botello]

We have activated key emergency resources including search and rescue teams and Air Rescue 5 helicopter which is equipped to deploy swift water rescue capabilities if needed.

[Paul Stevens]

Evacuation warning's already been issued for recent burn scar zones. Flash flooding is expected along with winds gusting up to 60 miles an hour. America is listening to FOX News.

[Ainsley Earhart]

America is built on hard work and powered by American energy. Chevron has spent $44 billion with local businesses across all 50 states since 2022, fueling infrastructure and communities, all while strengthening local economies. Last year, Chevron increased U.S. production nearly 20%, powering communities and businesses from the heartlands to the coasts. We're helping to fuel America's energy advantage, building a brighter future right here at home. Visit chevron.comamera to discover more ICE detaining.

[Paul Stevens]

More than 100 alleged illegal immigrant truck drivers across California after a string of deadly crashes involving people with CDLs. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on FOX and Friends.

[Darren Botello]

You can't speak English if you haven't gone through the proper training courses. You shouldn't be behind the wheel of a big rig. These are 80,000 pound vehicles. That can be incredibly dangerous when things go wrong.

[Paul Stevens]

Meantime, the White House is threatening to withhold federal funding to states that issue CDLs to illegal migrants. Democrats meantime, expanding their battleground map for next year's midterm elections. While Republicans will be defending a slim.

[Chad Pergrim]

Majority in the House, Democrats must run the right candidates in the right districts. It's possible that a more moderate Democrat could have helped the party flip a seat in Tennessee during a recent special election. Democrats are preaching affordability. They believe they have the advantage when it comes to health care. Expect Republicans to campaign on the big beautiful bill if Democrats win the House, their already talking about investigations and possible impeachments of cabinet secretaries.

[Paul Stevens]

And that is Fox's Chad Pergrim on Capitol Hill. The Trump White House weighing to whether or not to give SpaceX land from a wildlife refuge.

[Madison Allworth]

It is in Texas, right next to their current launch site, 775 acres, nearly 800. The New York Times is reporting that SpaceX in return would give hundreds of acres of its own property in order to expand its current rocket launch and production site in Cameron County, Texas. Conservationists, though, are not so happy. They worry that SpaceX would degrade tracks that are home to endangered species like the ocelot.

[Paul Stevens]

And that is Fox Business Network's Madison Allworth. Little less than one hour left in the trading day on Wall Street. The Dow right now up 96 points, about 210 of 1%.

[Ainsley Earhart]

Paul Stevens, Fox News this is Ainsley Earhart. Thank you for joining me for the 52 episode podcast series the Life of Jesus.

A listening experience that will provide hope, comfort and understanding of the greatest stor story ever told. Listen and follow [e-mail] or wherever you listen to podcasts.