Fox News Hourly Update – 7AM ET 02/25/2026

Podcast: Fox News Hourly Update
Host: Dave Anthony (FOX News Podcasts)
Date: February 25, 2026

Episode Overview

This newscast delivers a rapid rundown of the top national headlines from the preceding 24 hours, with a strong focus on President Donald Trump’s record-length State of the Union address, major legal news, partisan reactions in Washington, and brief updates on Wall Street and sports.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump’s Record-Long State of the Union (00:02–01:39)

• Historic Duration: Trump delivered an unprecedentedly long State of the Union address—almost 1 hour and 48 minutes.

  • Dave Anthony: “A record State of the Union. I'm Dave Anthony. Almost 1 hour, 48 minutes.” [00:02]

• Central Themes:

  • Trump declared the nation is in a “golden age” and proclaimed the state of the union to be “strong.”
    • President Trump: “You've seen nothing yet. We're going to do better and better and better. This is the golden age of America.” [00:10]
    • President Trump: “Our border is secure. Our spirit is restored. Inflation is plummeting. Incomes are rising fast.” [00:18]

• Tariffs and the Supreme Court:

  • Trump criticized the Supreme Court for overturning most of his tariffs and assured that new, stronger tariffs are already in place without needing further Congressional action.
    • President Trump: “It's already time tested and approved.” [00:39]

• Immigration Crackdown:

  • Continued tough rhetoric on illegal immigration, promising stricter penalties for officials who resist federal law enforcement, while calling out sanctuary cities.
    • President Trump: “…protect the criminals and enact serious penalties for public officials who blocked the removal of criminal in many cases, drug lords, murderers all over our country.” [00:50]
  • Notably, some Democrats vocally protested during the speech, and more than 70 boycotted altogether.

• Foreign Policy—Iran:

  • Trump vowed to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and warned of military action if negotiations stall.
    • President Trump: “I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon. Can't let that happen.” [01:30]

• Honoring Special Guests—Olympic Hockey Team:

  • The men’s gold medal Olympic hockey team was acknowledged, leading to an exuberant "USA, USA" chant.
    • President Trump: “The men's gold medal Olympic hockey team. Come on in.” [01:45]

2. Democratic Response to State of the Union (01:02–01:21)

• Key Statement:
  • Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivered the formal response, accusing President Trump of dishonesty and distraction.
    • Ainsley Earhardt (quoting Spanberger): “Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family? We all know the answer is no.” [01:11]
  • The boycott and vocal opposition highlighted continued partisan divides surrounding Trump’s policies.

3. Legal Updates: IRS Data Sharing and Postal Service Ruling (02:32–03:18)

• IRS Data Sharing with ICE:

  • A federal appeals panel declined to block an agreement allowing the IRS to share data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to identify undocumented immigrants.
    • Jack Callahan: “It allows the IRS to share with Immigration and Customs Enforcement data, which can help identify people living and working in the country illegally. Court ruling the information being shared isn't covered by the IRS privacy statute.” [02:40]
  • The ruling was viewed as a legal victory for the Trump administration’s enforcement agenda.

• Supreme Court-Poastal Service Ruling:

  • The Supreme Court sided with the Postal Service in a 5–4 decision, shielding it from lawsuits over the intentional non-delivery of mail, even in alleged cases of racial prejudice.
    • Lisa Brady: “Justice Clarence Thomas writes for a conservative majority that a federal law shielding the Postal Service from missing or lost mail also includes the intentional non delivery of mail.” [03:23]
    • Justice Sotomayor, in dissent, argued the rule should not cover malicious withholding of mail.

4. Financial and Sports Briefs (04:05–04:27)

• Wall Street:

  • Stocks posted a recovery after previous losses. Dow up 370 points, NASDAQ up 236.
    • Dave Anthony: “The Dow gained 370 points. The NASDAQ went up 236.” [04:05]

• Sports:

  • In NCAA basketball, Duke dominated Notre Dame by 44 points, marking ND’s worst home defeat since 1898.
    • Dave Anthony: “…the top ranked men's team, Duke, blew out Notre Dame by 44 points, 156, the worst home loss for the Irish since 1898, Notre Dame's first year playing basketball right after the game was invented.” [04:21]

Notable Quotes

• President Donald Trump:

  • “You've seen nothing yet. We're going to do better and better and better. This is the golden age of America.” [00:10]
  • “Our border is secure. Our spirit is restored. Inflation is plummeting. Incomes are rising fast.” [00:18]
  • “It's already time tested and approved.” [00:39]
  • “I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon. Can't let that happen.” [01:30]
  • “The men's gold medal Olympic hockey team. Come on in.” [01:45]

• Ainsley Earhardt (quoting Democratic response):

  • “Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family? We all know the answer is no.” [01:11]

• Jack Callahan (on IRS data sharing):

  • “It allows the IRS to share with Immigration and Customs Enforcement data, which can help identify people living and working in the country illegally. Court ruling the information being shared isn't covered by the IRS privacy statute.” [02:40]

• Lisa Brady (on Supreme Court mail ruling):

  • “Justice Clarence Thomas writes for a conservative majority that a federal law shielding the Postal Service from missing or lost mail also includes the intentional non delivery of mail.” [03:23]

Memorable Moments

• The raucous “USA, USA!” chant as the Olympic hockey heroes took the spotlight (01:51).
• The harsh split and boycotting of the State of the Union by over 70 Democrats (01:02).
• Contentious Supreme Court rulings reflecting deep national policy divides (03:23).

Timestamps for Key Segments

• State of the Union Recap: 00:02–01:39
• Democratic Response: 01:02–01:21
• US–Iran Tensions: 01:21–01:39
• Honor for Olympic Team: 01:39–01:51
• IRS–ICE Data Sharing Case: 02:32–03:18
• Supreme Court–Postal Service Ruling: 03:18–04:05
• Market & Sports Update: 04:05–04:27

Summary in Brief

This newscast captures a pivotal night in US politics, pitting Trump’s populist confidence and policy victories against strong criticism and legal battles. The coverage moves quickly, detailing both legislative drama and judicial decisions, while closing with flashes of financial optimism and sports history. This episode offers a snapshot of the fast-evolving American news landscape in an election year.