Fox News Hourly Update – 5PM ET 12/09/2025

Host: FOX News Podcasts (Lisa Brady)
Date: December 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delivers the latest news highlights from Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, Illinois, Ukraine, and Wall Street. Main topics include the ongoing health care debate in Congress over Obamacare subsidies, the Pentagon’s transgender service policy, a shooting at Kentucky State University, Illinois’ new restrictions on federal immigration enforcement, Zelensky’s call for election safety support in Ukraine, Dana Perino’s debut novel, and a summary of the stock market’s performance.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Health Care Battle in Congress

Timestamps: 00:02–00:38

• Democrats: Continue to advocate for a three-year extension of Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) subsidies, which are set to expire.
• Republicans: Introduce an alternative plan favoring reforms such as expanded Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), emphasizing cost-saving and direct benefits to patients rather than insurance companies.
• Political Dynamics: Both plans require 60 Senate votes to advance, indicating a tough legislative battle. Democrats criticize President Trump for worsening affordability, while Trump plans economic events to counteract this image.

Notable Quotes:

• “Democrats have put forward the cleanest, fastest, most realistic solution, a three year extension of the current tax credits. No gimmicks, no poison pills.”
  – Bill Hemmer (00:12)
• "It delivers the benefit directly to the patient, not to the insurance company. And it does it in a way that actually saves money."
  – Bill Hemmer (00:30)

2. Pentagon’s Transgender Policy Upheld

Timestamps: 01:06–01:30

• Current Status: The Pentagon’s ban on transgender service members remains in effect after a divided appeals court ruling.
• Policy Details:
  • Reversal of Biden-era inclusivity.
  • Members with a diagnosis/history of gender dysphoria are to be separated.
  • Pentagon justifies the policy as necessary for "combat readiness and unit cohesion."
• Legal Context: The appeals court determined the Pentagon assessed the impacts sufficiently.

Notable Quotes:

• "The policy says service members who have a current diagnosis or history of gender dysphoria will be separated from the military, adding the department recognizes only two sexes, male and female."
  – Unidentified News Reporter (01:10)

3. Campus Shooting in Kentucky

Timestamps: 01:30–01:54

• Incident: Kentucky State University went into lockdown following reports of a shooting.
• Update: Police confirmed one fatality and another person hospitalized. The campus is secure, and a suspect is in custody.

4. Illinois’ New Immigration Enforcement Restrictions

Timestamps: 01:54–02:47

• Legislation: Illinois passes a law prohibiting federal immigration enforcement at "sensitive locations" such as courthouses, hospitals, college campuses, and daycare centers.
• Governor’s Statement: Gov. J.B. Pritzker emphasizes the protection of constitutional rights and the ability to sue law enforcement officers for violations.
• Response Motivation: Legislation responds to President Trump’s increased immigration enforcement in Chicago.
• ICE Critique: ICE claims over 1,700 criminal illegal immigrants were released in Illinois this year, despite detainers, including individuals with violent crime histories.

Notable Quotes:

• "Dropping your kid off at daycare, going to the doctor or attending classes should not be a life altering risk."
  – Gov. J.B. Pritzker, via Dana Perino (02:22)
• "No one is above the law."
  – Ainslie Earhart (02:47)

5. Ukraine’s Election Security Call

Timestamps: 02:53–03:20

• Commentary: President Volodymyr Zelensky tells reporters Ukraine is ready for elections but appeals for security guarantees from the US and Europe to ensure a fair process.

6. Dana Perino's Fiction Debut: ‘Purple State’

Timestamps: 03:20–03:54

• Book Announcement: Co-anchor Dana Perino introduces her first novel, "Purple State," a political romantic comedy.
• Premise: The novel focuses on politics and romance, exploring bipartisan relationships.
• Personal Note: Perino shares she dreamt of writing fiction since childhood and kept the project secret for two years.
• Release Date: April 21st, through HarperCollins; pre-orders available.

Notable Quotes:

• "It's called Purple State. It's a political romantic comedy. I think it's got a lot of heart, a lot of fun. And on the cover it says, when red meets blue and love is never black and white."
  – Ainslie Earhart quoting Dana Perino (03:23)
• “[She] has been dreaming of writing the book since the first grade.”
  – Bill Hemmer on Dana Perino (03:34)

7. Wall Street Market Update

Timestamps: 03:54–End

• Summary: Stock market shows a mixed day ahead of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision.
  • Dow Jones: -179 points
  • S&P 500: -6 points
  • NASDAQ: +30 points

Memorable Moments and Speaker Highlights

• Strong partisan contrasts on health care with emotional defenses of both subsidy extension and Republican reforms.
• A sharp, concise update on the Pentagon’s transgender policy and the resulting legal and policy ramifications.
• Human impact of the Illinois immigration law, highlighted by Governor Pritzker’s emphasis on everyday situations and constitutional protections.
• Personal touch from Dana Perino discussing her long-held writing ambition, adding warmth and variety to the news-heavy update.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------|------------| | Health Care Debate in Senate | 00:02–00:38| | Pentagon Transgender Policy | 01:06–01:30| | Kentucky State University Shooting | 01:30–01:54| | Illinois Immigration Law | 01:54–02:47| | Ukraine Election Security | 02:53–03:20| | Dana Perino’s Novel Announcement | 03:20–03:54| | Wall Street Update | 03:54–End |

Conclusion

This news-packed episode covers divisive legislative battles, evolving military policy, campus safety, state-level immigration protections, international concerns in Ukraine, a lighthearted detour into politics-inspired fiction, and Wall Street’s latest performance—delivering a comprehensive snapshot of the day’s biggest national and international stories.