5PM ET 12/19/2025 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update: 5PM ET 12/19/2025 Newscast

Overview

This fast-paced newscast delivers updates on several major national and international stories, including the release of new Jeffrey Epstein files, pharmaceutical pricing reform, a deadly plane crash involving a NASCAR figure, developments in the Russia-Ukraine war, U.S. immigration policy in the wake of campus shootings, and controversy in New York City politics related to antisemitism.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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1. Release of Jeffrey Epstein Files

[00:03] Paul Stevens

• The Justice Department released more files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender and trafficker.
• New images have surfaced featuring Epstein with former President Bill Clinton and Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger.
• Implication: The content signals ongoing public and legal interest in Epstein’s wide network and the figures involved.

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2. Pharmaceutical Price Reform Announcement

[00:27] Jared Halpern

• Nine major drug companies have joined the Trump White House program agreeing to a "most favored nations" pricing policy.

• Drugs will now be sold in the U.S. at the same price as in other developed countries.

  [00:40] President Donald Trump

  • “If we didn't have the use of tariffs, we would never be able to do this. But we use tariff and they said is it a threat? I said yes, it is a threat. Then they said we will do it and they dropped the price.”
    — President Donald Trump (00:40)

• With the majority of large pharmaceutical firms participating, remaining companies are expected to comply soon.

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3. Fatal Plane Crash Investigation in North Carolina

[01:04] Paul Stevens

• NTSB begins investigation into a crash that killed former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family.

  [01:17] Michael Graham, NTSB

  • “We are here on scene to gather perishable evidence which our team methodically and systematically reviews throughout the course of the investigation to determine the probable cause.”
    — Michael Graham (01:17)

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4. Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks & U.S. Foreign Policy

[01:29] Paul Stevens / Michael Graham (Context switches to Michael Graham as Secretary of State)

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio addresses prospects for peace as the Ukraine war nears four years.

  [01:37] Marco Rubio

  • “The implications of this long term for Ukraine are dramatic and for Russia, too, but for Ukraine, and we're focused on them. This is why the president wants to end it. He thinks it's a bloody, nasty, horrifying war and he doesn't like wars. He really doesn't like wars. He thinks they're a waste of money, time and talent.”
    — Marco Rubio (01:37)

• The U.S. emphasizes a push for peace in Ukraine, reiterating the administration’s anti-war stance.

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5. Immigration Policy and Campus Shooting Aftermath

[02:31] Paul Stevens / [02:51] Jessica Rosenthal

• Rep. Elise Stefanik is ending her gubernatorial campaign and won't seek re-election.

• President Trump suspends the green card lottery after revelation that Brown/MIT shooting suspect Claudio Nevis Valente obtained residency via the program.

• Details on suspect:
  “Valente went to Brown University on a student visa 25 years ago...got a diversity immigrant visa...He had to go through additional vetting to then get the green card. But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says now the diversity immigration lottery is paused at the direction of President Trump that this heinous individual, meaning Nevis Valente, should never have been allowed in.”
  — Jessica Rosenthal (02:51)

• Valente was found dead, apparently by suicide.

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6. Antisemitism Controversy in New York City Government

[03:27] Paul Stevens / [03:33] Therese Crowley

• New York City’s new Socialist mayor Zoran Mamdani faces scrutiny over a top appointee, Catherine Almonte da Costa, who resigned after old antisemitic social media posts were resurfaced.

  [03:33] Therese Crowley

  • “Mamdani accepted the resignation of Catherine Almonte da Costa, who was to lead the mayor's office of appointments...after the Anti Defamation League shared three of her old posts that had said echo classic anti Semitic tropes and demean Jewish people. Dacosta now expressing deep regret, saying, as the mother of Jewish children, I feel a profound sense of sadness.”

• Jewish community organizations have pledged to monitor the mayor’s personnel and policies closely after his previous failure to condemn certain charged rhetoric.

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7. Run DMC Murder Case Update

[04:16] Paul Stevens / [04:28] Therese Crowley

• In the 2002 murder case of Run DMC’s Jam Master Jay, a judge finds insufficient evidence to convict Carl Jordan Jr. of motive.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If we didn't have the use of tariffs, we would never be able to do this. But we use tariff and they said is it a threat? I said yes, it is a threat.”
  — President Donald Trump, on pharmaceutical price negotiations (00:40)

• “He thinks it's a bloody, nasty, horrifying war and he doesn't like wars. He really doesn't like wars. He thinks they're a waste of money, time and talent.”
  — Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, on ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict (01:37)

• “As the mother of Jewish children, I feel a profound sense of sadness.”
  — Catherine Almonte da Costa, after resigning over antisemitic posts (03:33)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:03 – Epstein file release; new images emerge
• 00:27 – Drug pricing reform program announced
• 00:40 – Trump’s statement on tariffs and lower drug prices
• 01:04 – Fatal plane crash; NTSB starts investigation
• 01:17 – NTSB comments on crash scene
• 01:29 – Secretary Rubio on Ukraine and peace push
• 02:31 – Stefanik ends NY campaign; Trump suspends green card lottery
• 02:51 – Details on the green card program and shooter
• 03:33 – NYC appointee resigns over antisemitic posts
• 04:16 – Jam Master Jay case: judge avoids conviction on lack of motive

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Summary Tone:
The episode moves briskly through significant news events, prioritizing governmental and public safety updates, with the typical brisk and factual Fox News tone. Statements are direct, occasionally punctuated by pointed or emotional remarks from public officials or those involved.

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For listeners:
This newscast provides a concise, energetic rundown of the day’s headlines, focused on federal policy shifts, high-publicity investigations, and the ongoing impacts of violence and scandal in American public life and governance.

Transcript

[Paul Stevens]

Another release. I'm Paul Stevens, Fox News. The Justice Department minutes ago releasing more files connected to the late convicted sex offender and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Those files including images of former President Bill Clinton and Rolling Stones current lead singer Mick Jagger, along with Jeffrey Epstein. Meantime, more major drug makers joining the Trump White House program aimed at dropping pharmaceutical prices.

[Jared Halpern]

Executives from nine major pharmaceutical companies join President Trump here to announce they have made a most favored nations agreement with the federal government and will sell popular medications at the same price in the US as other developed countries.

[President Donald Trump]

If we didn't have the use of tariffs, we would never be able to do this. But we use tariff and they said is it a threat? I said yes, it is a threat. Then they said we will do it and they dropped the price.

[Jared Halpern]

President Trump says in all, 14 of the 17 largest drug makers have now agreed to lower prices in the US and the remaining three are expected to follow suit. At the White House, Jared Halpern, FOX News.

[Paul Stevens]

The National Transportation Safety Board has started its investigation into Thursday's fatal plane crash in North Carolina that left multiple people dead, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife and children. We are here on scene to gather.

[Michael Graham]

Perishable evidence which our team methodically and systematically reviews throughout the course of the investigation to determine the probable cause.

[Paul Stevens]

NTSB member Michael Graham. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at his year end news conference today as both Russia and Ukraine are looking at peace proposals.

[Michael Graham]

The implications of this long term for Ukraine are dramatic and for Russia, too, but for Ukraine, and we're focused on them. This is why the president wants to end it. He thinks it's a bloody, nasty, horrifying war and he doesn't like wars. He really doesn't like wars. He thinks they're a waste of money, time and talent.

[Paul Stevens]

And that war in Ukraine approaching the four year mark. America's listening to FOX News.

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[Paul Stevens]

New York Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is ending her campaign to be New York's next governor. She also says she will not seek reelection to the House next year. President Trump meantime, ordering the suspension of the green card lottery program because it was apparently used by the suspect in the Brown University and MIT University shootings.

[Jessica Rosenthal]

Claudio Nevis Valente. Valente went to Brown University on a student visa 25 years ago. In 2017, he got a diversity immigrant visa and shortly after that got legal permanent residence. This diversity visa gives up to 50,000 green cards each year by lottery. Nevis Valente had to go through additional vetting to then get the green card. But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says now the diversity immigration lottery is paused at the direction of President Trump that this heinous individual, meaning Nevis Valente, should never have been allowed in. Police say Nevis Valente was found dead from a self inflicted gunshot wound in a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire. Jessica Rosenthal, Fox News.

[Paul Stevens]

New York City's Mayor Lech now being watched closely regarding his promise to protect Jewish New Yorkers.

[Therese Crowley]

A top appointee in the new government of Socialist Zoran Mamdani has resigned over anti Semitic social media posts dating back to 2011 and 12. Mamdani accepted the resignation of Catherine Almonte da Costa, who was to lead the mayor's office of appointments handling talent recruitment and until the Anti Defamation League shared three of her old posts that had said echo classic anti Semitic tropes and demean Jewish people. Dacosta now expressing deep regret, saying, as the mother of Jewish children, I feel a profound sense of sadness. When the new mayor was elected, the Jewish Defense group announced a tool to monitor Mamdani's policies and personnel after his failure to condemn the phrase globalize the intifada. Therese Crowley, Fox News.

[Paul Stevens]

A judge avoiding the conviction of one of the two men found guilty in the 2002 killing of Run DM Star Jam Master Jay saying today there's not enough evidence that Carl Jordan Jr. Had a motive to kill him.

[Therese Crowley]

This is Ainsley Earhart.

[Jessica Rosenthal]

Thank you for joining me for the.

[Therese Crowley]

52 episode podcast series the Life of.

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