4AM ET 08/26/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 4AM ET, August 26, 2025

Episode Overview

This Fox News Hourly Update delivers the latest developments on domestic politics, immigration, judiciary news, weather events, the war on drugs, and pop culture. The news brief combines updates from key political leaders, law enforcement authorities, and the entertainment industry, offering listeners a snapshot of essential overnight stories and ongoing controversies.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chicago & National Guard Tensions

• President Trump's Offer and Local Pushback
  • President Trump signals National Guard troops are ready to deploy to Chicago, but stops short of committing. Local leaders firmly reject the offer.
    • Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (00:19):
      “Do not come. Do not send the National Guard to Chicago.”
      Pritzker accuses Trump of using the issue as a political tool, suggesting more violence exists in red state cities.
    • Mayor Brandon Johnson (00:31):
      “It is important to recognize that the president... is doing this for theatrics... He wants to create chaos. That is all this is about.”
• Community Safety Grants
  • Both the Governor and Mayor call for the release of withheld federal community safety funds.
    • J.B. Pritzker (00:50):
      Cites a Trump administration hold on “hundreds of millions of dollars in community safety grants.”

2. Federal Reserve Shake-Up

• President Trump Fires Fed Governor Lisa Cook
  • Via Truth Social, Trump announces the immediate firing of Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud allegations.
    • Legal experts question whether the president has the authority to fire a Federal Reserve governor for such reasons.
    • Lisa Cook, in response, asserts Trump lacks the authority and that she is “committed to keep doing the job” (00:58).

3. Controversial Immigration Enforcement

• Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Legal Struggles
  • Wrongly deported to El Salvador, Kilmar Abrego Garcia is back in ICE custody after attending a required check-in, facing possible deportation to Uganda.
    • Fox News Reporter (01:26):
      “Within just one minute, Abrego Garcia was taken into custody once again.”
  • A judge has temporarily blocked his deportation (01:41).

4. US Open Sports Update

• Venus Williams Out at First Round
  • Williams loses to Karolina Muchova in three sets, marking her first Grand Slam match exit in two years (01:41).
    • No direct audio quote, but a notable result covered prominently.

5. Extreme Weather in Arizona

• Monsoon Dust Storm Hits Phoenix
  • Phoenix is battered by a “massive wall of dust,” the biggest monsoon storm this year.
    • Damages include power outages for tens of thousands, delays at Sky Harbor Airport, and near-zero visibility on roads (02:31).
    • Flights resumed before 7 PM.

6. US-Mexico Drug War Developments

• Ex-Cartel Leader’s Guilty Plea
  • Former cartel leader’s guilty plea seen as a win for US-Mexico cooperation targeting cartels.
    • Terry Cole, DEA (03:08):
      Expresses hope for “future convictions for drug cartel leaders.”
    • Pam Bondi, US Attorney General (03:08, 03:31):
      Credits joint effort for the plea, clarifies capital punishment is off the table due to US-Mexico agreements.
      • “We cannot seek the death penalty. We’ve always known that and that’s an agreement that we’ve had with Mexico.”
    • Bondi on ongoing action (03:39):
      Pledges to “track down more cartel leaders and shut down their trafficking routes from multiple countries... with the goal of ending the cartels for good.”

7. House Oversight Committee Investigates Epstein Estate

• Subpoena Issued for Epstein Documents
  • Committee issues a subpoena to Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, demanding documents and communications by September 8th (03:45).

8. Country Music & Pop Culture Update

• Lainey Wilson Announces New Album
  • Drops a deluxe edition of “Whirlwind”; more music and a 2026 tour promised.
    • Michelle Palino (04:05):
      “She promises more music soon with a likely 2026 release and a tour to follow.”

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Memorable Quotes

• J.B. Pritzker (00:19):
  “Do not come. Do not send the National Guard to Chicago.”
• Mayor Brandon Johnson (00:31):
  “He wants to create chaos. That is all this is about.”
• Lisa Cook (paraphrased, 00:58):
  She asserts President Trump lacks legal authority to fire her and says she will continue to serve.
• Terry Cole (03:08):
  Expresses aim for “future convictions for drug cartel leaders.”
• Pam Bondi (03:26):
  “We cannot seek the death penalty. We’ve always known that... that’s an agreement that we’ve had with Mexico.”
• Michelle Palino (04:05):
  “She promises more music soon with a likely 2026 release and a tour to follow.”

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Chicago–National Guard Standoff: 00:03 – 00:50
• Federal Reserve Governor Firing: 00:58 – 01:26
• Immigration Enforcement/Abrego Garcia: 01:26 – 01:41
• Venus Williams US Open Loss: 01:41 – 01:59
• Phoenix Dust Storm: 02:31 – 03:08
• Cartel Leader Guilty Plea / Drug Cartel Crackdown: 03:08 – 03:45
• Epstein Estate Subpoena: 03:45 – 04:05
• Lainey Wilson New Album: 04:05 – 04:29

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Summary

This episode provides a brisk run-through of the latest breaking news, centering on the clash over federal intervention in Chicago, shakeups at the Federal Reserve, controversial immigration enforcement action, and significant law enforcement progress against Mexican drug cartels. It also delivers timely sports and weather coverage, and a quick entertainment segment, maintaining a fast-paced and direct Fox News tone throughout. Quotes from key figures enhance the urgency and stakes of the stories, especially regarding politics and law enforcement.

Listeners are left with key takeaways on the contentious relationship between local and federal government, evolving legal issues, and the continued efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks, concluding with a nod to country music fans anticipating new material from Lainey Wilson.

Transcript

[Fox News Anchor]

Still undecided. I'm Carmen Roberts, Fox News. President Trump says National Guard troops are at the ready, but he is hedging about sending them to Chicago. And that's fine with the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois who told reporters yesterday the troops are not needed or wanted.

[Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker]

Illinois Governor J.B. pritzker addressed President Trump directly, saying do not come. Do not send the National Guard to Chicago. He said the president's motivations here are political, that there is far more violence in cities, in red states.

[Mayor Brandon Johnson]

We're in better shape on average. And it is important to recognize that the president of the United States is doing this for theatrics. This is not because we've asked for it. It is not because there is some justice that he is going to seek. It is because he wants to create chaos. That is all this is about.

[Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker]

Both Mayor Brandon Johnson and J.B. pritzker said they'd like the Trump administration to release a hold on hundreds of millions of dollars in community safety grants.

[Fox News Anchor]

Fox's Jessica Rosenthal President Trump announces on Truth Social that he is firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook effective immediately, citing mortgage fraud allegations. But it is unclear whether he has a legal authority to fire Cook over allegations. She responded in a statement that he does not and that she will keep doing the job to which President Biden appointed her to. In 2022, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, wrongly deported to El Salvador is back in ICE.

[Fox News Reporter]

Custody three days after being released on parole. The 30 year old walk into a scheduled check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. His lawyer says within just one minute Abrego Garcia was taken into custody once again. He's now being processed for possible deportation to Uganda.

[Fox News Anchor]

Fox's David Spot A judge ruled Abrego Garcia cannot be deported for now. Venus Williams loses her first Grand Slam match in two years. She lost in three sets at the US Open to 11th seeded Carolina Mohova. America's listening to Fox News.

[Janice Dean]

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[Fox News Anchor]

A major dust storm hit Phoenix yesterday. The massive wall of dust from the largest monsoon storm this year rolled across South Mountain and led to a ground stop at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The dust storm winds damaged a terminal at the airport, with flights resuming before seven last night, and visibility at times was near zero on many roads. And tens of thousands of customers lost power, but is Mostly back on U.S. officials say that yesterday's guilty plea from an ex Mexican cartel leader is only part of the goal of protecting Americans from drug traffickers. Our work with the Mexican government is not done.

[Terry Cole / Pam Bondi]

Terry Cole, who leads the Drug Enforcement Administration, says it's hoped that will mean future convictions for drug cartel leaders. U.S. attorney General Pam Bondi said it's that cooperation that led to Ismail El Mayo Zambada's guilty plea Monday. While capital punishment is not an option.

[Fox News Anchor]

We cannot see seek the death penalty. We've always known that and that's an agreement that we've had with Mexico.

[Terry Cole / Pam Bondi]

Bondi said they will track down more cartel leaders and shut down their trafficking.

[Fox News Anchor]

Routes from multiple countries, Venezuela, Honduras, Guatemala.

[Terry Cole / Pam Bondi]

Mexico with the goal of ending the cartels for good. Gernall Scott, FOX News.

[Fox News Anchor]

The House Oversight Committee takes significant steps to widen its probe into Jeffrey Epstein by subpoena, issuing a subpoena to his estate yesterday, wanting documents and communications that are in its possession by September 8th. And country music star Lainey Wilson has a new album filling up these dreams.

[Michelle Palino]

Lainey Wilson dropped the deluxe edition of Whirlwind. The singer told Taste of Country Nights she's always writing and hopes the new record is right around the corner. Whirlwind Deluxe, which just dropped Friday. She promises more music soon with a likely 2026 release and a tour to follow. Michelle Palino, FOX News and this is fox.

[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 Reporter]

Listen and follow [e-mail].