Fox News Hourly Update – 5PM ET 11/12/2025

Overview

This episode delivers a fast-paced roundup of the day’s key political and global news from FOX News Radio at 5PM ET on November 12, 2025. The coverage centers on the looming government shutdown, fresh developments in Congress, US–China cooperation on fentanyl, notable legal news, a lighter pontiff pop culture reveal, and a snapshot of Wall Street action.

Major News Themes and Highlights

Government Shutdown Showdown

• Update on Shutdown Standoff:
  • The House is preparing for a critical vote on a short-term spending bill, already passed by the Senate, to avert a government shutdown.
  • The White House signals President Trump’s intention to sign the bill if it passes.
  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries emphasizes ongoing Democratic priorities to expand Obamacare tax credits, signaling partisan brinkmanship.
    • "[00:19] B: This fight is not over. We're just getting started." – Hakeem Jeffries

New Faces and Intrigue in Congress

• New House Democrats Sworn In
  • Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, winner of a September special election, is among the new members. She decries the delay in her swearing-in as an "abuse of power".
  • Republicans argue that the delay was procedural, while Democrats accuse Speaker Mike Johnson of stalling to inhibit efforts to release the Jeffrey Epstein files.
  • With Grijalva’s signature, Democrats now have the 218 needed for a discharge petition to force a vote on the Epstein files.
• Political Tensions Over Epstein Files
  • White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt attacks Democrats for allegedly ignoring Epstein issues during the Biden era, claiming their motives are political.
    • "[00:42] A: ...they actually don't care about the victims in these cases. They care about trying to score political points against President Trump." – Caroline Levitt
• Unexpected Provision in Spending Bill
  • GOP leadership expresses frustration over a Senate bill provision empowering Republicans to sue over government phone record searches—a measure House Republicans claim they were unaware of.
    • "[01:30] C: We've been clear and Speaker Johnson's been clear...and we were unaware that this provision was in the CR..." – GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain
  • Speaker Mike Johnson plans quick action on standalone legislation to repeal this provision.

International & Domestic Developments

US–China Agreement on Fentanyl

• FBI–China Partnership Announced
  • After high-level meetings in Beijing, FBI Director Kash Patel announces China’s agreement to increase enforcement against precursor chemicals for fentanyl.
    • "[02:23] B: ...Beijing is now restricting 13 precursor chemicals and several chemical substances used to make fentanyl."
  • President Trump, in response to China's move, reduces US tariffs on Chinese goods by 10%.
    • "[02:36] A: President Trump has shut off the pipeline that creates fentanyl that kills tens of thousands of Americans."
  • "[02:44] B: In response to the announcement from China, President Trump reduced tariffs on Chinese goods by 10%." – Jared Halpern

Political & Legal Briefs

• New Indictment in California
  • A former top aide to California Governor Gavin Newsom is indicted for allegedly stealing campaign funds from Javier Becerra, former federal health secretary. Becerra is not implicated.

Pop Culture and Human Interest

The Pope’s Favorite Films

• Newly elected Pope Leo shares his favorite movies in a Variety interview—sparking human interest coverage.
  • Topped by "It’s a Wonderful Life," followed by "The Sound of Music," "Ordinary People," and honoring his Italian roots with "La Vita è Bella."
    • "[03:22] A: Look, daddy, teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wing." – (clip from "It's a Wonderful Life")
    • "[03:43] E: The reveal comes ahead of his first celebrity event at the Vatican, set for Saturday..."

Market Recap

Wall Street Milestone

• The Dow Jones closes at a new record, cracking the 48,000 mark.
  • Dow: +326 points, closing at 48,250.54—the first time above 48K.
  • S&P 500: marginal gain, +4 points.
  • NASDAQ: drops 61 points.

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries:
  • "This fight is not over. We're just getting started." ([00:19])
• White House Spokeswoman Caroline Levitt:
  • "...they actually don't care about the victims in these cases. They care about trying to score political points against President Trump." ([00:42])
• GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain:
  • "We've been clear and Speaker Johnson's been clear...and we were unaware that this provision was in the CR..." ([01:30])
• FBI Director Kash Patel:
  • "...Beijing is now restricting 13 precursor chemicals and several chemical substances used to make fentanyl." ([02:23])
• Famous Movie Quote ("It's a Wonderful Life"):
  • "Look, daddy, teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wing." ([03:22])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:02] – Shutdown update, Obamacare tax credits debate
• [00:22] – New Congress members sworn in, Epstein files petition
• [01:30] – GOP objections to Senate bill provision, Speaker Johnson’s response
• [02:15] – US–China fentanyl agreement announced
• [02:53] – Indictment of Newsom aide reported
• [03:12] – Pope’s favorite films revealed
• [03:54] – Wall Street closing numbers and milestone

This summary presents the core updates, quotes, and newsworthy moments from the 5PM Fox News Hourly Update for November 12, 2025, giving listeners a thorough, timestamped overview of the day's headlines and developments.