6AM ET 10/18/2025 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update — 6AM ET 10/18/2025 Newscast

Host: Debra Valentine (and FOX News reporting team)
Date: October 18, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode focuses on President Trump’s efforts to mediate in the Ukraine war, updates on Israeli hostages and Trump’s Middle East peace deal, a US anti-narcotics operation off Venezuela, the commutation of George Santos’ sentence, and a funding dispute between the Department of Transportation and California.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump: "Mediator President" and Ukraine Peace Efforts

• [00:02–00:43]
  • President Trump hosted Ukraine’s President Zelensky at the White House, reinforcing his self-designated role as the “mediator president.”
  • Zelensky is reportedly offering a trade: Tomahawk missiles from the US in exchange for Ukrainian drones.
  • U.S. officials, including Trump, are cautious about supplying Tomahawk missiles due to concerns about depleting stockpiles.

Notable Quotes:

• Peter Doocy: “President Trump referred to himself. He gave himself a new title, the mediator president.” [00:17]

• Sean Duffy: “The United States has Tomahawks and other missiles, very strong missiles, but they can have our thousands of drones.” [00:36]

• A potential Trump–Putin meeting is on the horizon, though Zelensky will likely not be directly involved. Trump cited “too much bad blood.”

• Trump is optimistic the war might be approaching “the beginning of the end,” especially with renewed dialogue around missile support.

2. Israel, Hamas, and President Trump’s 20-point Peace Deal

• [01:00–01:39]
  • Return of another deceased Israeli hostage as part of Trump’s peace plan: so far, 20 living hostages and 10 bodies recovered; 18 bodies remain missing.
  • Trump warned Israel would resume fighting if Hamas does not return all hostages.
  • Hamas requested equipment to help recover bodies, stating some bodies are still unaccounted for in rubble.

Notable Quotes:

• Chanley Painter: “President Trump warns he will greenlight Israel to resume the war if Hamas doesn't return all hostages.” [01:24]

  • Ongoing humanitarian aid into Gaza and continued negotiations about Hamas disarmament and future governance.
  • Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East expected in Israel next week.

3. US Navy Strikes on Drug Trafficking Vessels near Venezuela

• [03:12–04:01]
  • Recent US strike rescued two people, with two fatalities, after targeting a suspected drug submarine vessel from Venezuela.
  • Trump administration confirms 27 deaths in similar strikes recently, with this being the first incident involving survivors.
  • First-ever president-confirmed CIA operation inside Venezuela.
  • Venezuela’s UN Ambassador called for the strikes to be declared illegal; Pentagon argues the US is engaged in a “non-international armed conflict.”

Notable Quotes:

• Jessica Rosenthal: “This is according to Reuters. It was the sixth such strike in recent weeks. The Trump administration says 27 people have been killed in these strikes. It’s the first time, though there are survivors.” [03:27]

4. President Trump Commutes George Santos’ Sentence

• [04:01–04:25]
  • Trump commuted the sentence of former NY Rep. George Santos (fraud and identity theft), facilitating immediate release from prison.
  • Santos admitted to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 individuals, including family members.

Notable Quotes:

• Debra Valentine: “Trump posting just signed a commutation releasing Santos from prison immediately. Good luck, George. Have a great life.” [04:25]

5. Federal Funding Withheld from California over Driver Language Requirements

• [04:25–05:01]
  • The Transportation Department is pulling $40 million in funds from California, citing failure to comply with the federal requirement that licensed commercial drivers speak English.
  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stressed this is a long-standing law now being enforced, stating safety concerns regarding English-speaking requirements.
  • California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office countered that California truck drivers have a better crash rate than the national average.

Notable Quotes:

• Sean Duffy: “This is a long standing rule. It's been on the books for for decades. It's just that we are now enforcing the law and saying you have to speak English. You have to be able to read road signs in English.” [04:50]

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Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• “President Trump referred to himself. He gave himself a new title, the mediator president.”
  — Peter Doocy [00:17]
• “The United States has Tomahawks and other missiles, very strong missiles, but they can have our thousands of drones.”
  — Sean Duffy [00:36]
• “President Trump warns he will greenlight Israel to resume the war if Hamas doesn't return all hostages.”
  — Chanley Painter [01:24]
• “It was the sixth such strike in recent weeks. The Trump administration says 27 people have been killed in these strikes. It’s the first time, though there are survivors.”
  — Jessica Rosenthal [03:27]
• “Trump posting just signed a commutation releasing Santos from prison immediately. Good luck, George. Have a great life.”
  — Debra Valentine [04:25]
• “You have to speak English. You have to be able to read road signs in English.”
  — Sean Duffy [04:50]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Ukraine Peace Talks, Tomahawks-for-Drones Deal: 00:02–00:43
• Israel Hostage Update & Middle East Peace Deal: 01:00–01:39
• US Navy Drug Vessel Interdiction, CIA Ops: 03:12–04:01
• George Santos Sentence Commuted: 04:01–04:25
• California Funding Withheld Over English Rule: 04:25–05:01

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This summary covers the main news stories, provides context, and highlights the notable quotes and developments from the 6AM Fox News Hourly Update on October 18, 2025.

Transcript

[Debra Valentine]

Fostering peace. I'm Debra Valentine. Fox News. President Trump meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House as U.S. officials seek an end to the war in Ukraine. Fox's Peter Doocy has more from the White House.

[Peter Doocy]

President Trump referred to himself. He gave himself a new title, the mediator president. And we learned that President Zelensky isn't just asking for Tomahawk missiles to strike deep inside Russia. He is offering a trade, basically Tomahawk missiles for Ukrainian drones.

[Sean Duffy]

The United States has Tomahawks and other missiles, very strong missiles, but they can have our thousands of drones.

[Peter Doocy]

Some new info about the upcoming meeting with President Trump and President Putin. For the time being, it doesn't sound like Zelensky is going to be directly involved. Too much bad blood according to President Trump. But despite that, he thinks this war may be nearing a beginning of the end of the point, that maybe the talk about new missiles to the battlefield can end here.

[Debra Valentine]

President Trump told Zelensky he's hesitant to give Ukraine Tomahawks because he doesn't want to deplete the US Stockpile closure for one more family in Israel. Fox's Chanley Painter explains the body of.

[Chanley Painter]

Another deceased hostage taken by Hamas is back in Israel. It comes as part of President Trump's 20 point peace deal. So far, 20 living of the remaining hostages and 10 bodies have been returned. Eighteen bodies, though, are still missing. President Trump warns he will greenlight Israel to resume the war if Hamas doesn't return all hostages. Hamas says it needs equipment, equipment to recover some of the bodies from rubble, but admits it doesn't know where they all are.

[Debra Valentine]

As aid continues to flow into Gaza, negotiators still need to agree on whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza after the war. President Trump's special envoy to the Middle east expected to arrive in Israel next week. America's listening to Fox News.

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[Debra Valentine]

The US Navy is holding two people they rescued after striking a suspected drug trafficking vessel off the coast of Venezuela.

[Jessica Rosenthal]

The Navy rescued two people after two others were killed in the latest US Strike of a vessel believed to be used for drug trafficking coming from Venezuela. This is according to Reuters. It was the sixth such strike in recent weeks. The Trump administration says 27 people have been killed in these strikes. It's the first time, though there are survivors. Earlier this week, the president said the latest incident involved a submarine type vessel that can go underwater. The president also confirmed this week he'd authorized a CIA operation inside Venezuela. The country's UN Ambassador has asked the Security Council to declare these strikes of drug boats illegal. Reuters also reports that the Pentagon has told Congress the US Is engaged in a non international armed conflict. Jessica Rosenthal, Fox News.

[Debra Valentine]

An early release from prison for a former congressman.

[Kevin Cork]

President Trump has commuted the sentence of disgraced former New York Republican Congressman George Santos, ordering his immediate release from federal prison. He was serving more than seven years after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges. Santos admitting last year to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people, including members of his own family.

[Debra Valentine]

Fox's Kevin Cork reporting. Trump posting just signed a commutation releasing Santos from prison immediately. Good luck, George. Have a great life. The Transportation department is pulling $40 million of funding to California as the state refuses to comply with the rule requiring only English speaking people to be licensed to drive commercial vehicles. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defending the rescission of funds on Fox is the Ingram angle.

[Sean Duffy]

This is a long standing rule. It's been on the books for for decades. It's just that we are now enforcing the law and saying you have to speak English. You have to be able to read road signs in English.

[Debra Valentine]

California Governor Newsom's office argues the state's commercial truck drivers have a better crash rate. I'm Debra Ballantyne. This is Fox News.

[Will Kane]

It's Will Kane Country Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through [e-mail] or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss the show. Listen and follow the podcast five days a week at foxnewspodcasts.com or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.