Fox News Hourly Update – 8AM ET, October 11, 2025

Host: Roger Stern (A), FOX News Podcasts
Date: October 11, 2025

Brief Overview

This episode covers major breaking news stories in the U.S. and globally, focusing on a sweeping federal workforce layoff amid a government shutdown, escalated trade measures between the U.S. and China, updates on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, a devastating explosion in Tennessee, the indictment of a longtime Trump adversary, and a major storm threatening the East Coast.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mass Federal Worker Layoffs Amid Government Shutdown

• Summary: President Trump has fired more than 4,000 federal workers—a stark departure from previous shutdowns where workers were furloughed and later reinstated.

  • Jared Halpern (White House correspondent) reports that the layoffs are substantial and represent an “unprecedented step.”
  • Unions are suing in San Francisco, claiming the administration is abusing the shutdown for political purposes.

  "The Trump administration has warned of layoffs if the government shutdown continued—a departure from previous shutdown[s] when federal workers were furloughed but brought back to work once a spending bill was passed." — Jared Halpern (00:19)

2. Escalating Trade War: Massive New Tariffs on China

• Summary: President Trump is introducing a new 100% tariff on all Chinese imports starting in November, on top of the existing 30% tariff, in response to what he calls China’s “hostility.”

  • China has retaliated with new restrictions on the export of rare earth minerals.
  • The rare earth minerals are crucial for sectors like smartphones, cars, and more.
  • Tensions signal a rapidly deepening economic conflict with global ramifications.

  "President Trump says China's become hostile. And starting in November, everything imported into the U.S. from China will face an extra 100% tariff." — Joel Naito (00:58)

  "China dominates the world in rare earth minerals, which are key components in smartphones, cars, and more." — Joel Naito (01:29)

3. Israel-Hamas Ceasefire & U.S. Diplomacy

• Summary: President Trump announced plans to visit Israel and Egypt next week following a brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

  • U.S. military personnel set to arrive in Israel to oversee ceasefire implementation.

  "President Trump says he plans to be in Israel and Egypt next week following the ceasefire he negotiated between Israel and Hamas." — Roger Stern (01:38)

4. Explosion at Tennessee Munitions Facility

• Summary: An explosion at Accurate Energix Systems, located ~50-60 miles outside Nashville, has left 18 people missing.

  • The explosion, felt for miles, destroyed a building likely filled with explosives.
  • The facility is involved in both military munitions and civilian explosives.

  "People reportedly felt this explosion from miles away...It develops and manufactures some explosives for military purposes, but also for things like demolitions and aerospace." — Madison Scarpino (02:23)

5. Indictment of Letitia James, Trump Adversary

• Summary: New York Attorney General Letitia James, known for winning a large civil judgment against Trump, has been indicted on bank fraud charges related to a home purchase.

  • James claims the indictment is a politically motivated act of retribution.
  • Career prosecutors reportedly opposed bringing the charges.

  "This is nothing more than a continuation of the President's desperate weaponization of our justice system." — Letitia James (03:06)

6. East Coast Weather: Nor’easter Threat

• Summary: A nor’easter is hitting the Atlantic seaboard, bringing heavy rain, major flooding, powerful winds, and has led New Jersey to declare a preemptive state of emergency.

  • The storm will impact the Carolinas and Northeast through Columbus Day.

  "The nor' easter is expected to slam the Atlantic seaboard over multiple days with heavy rain, major coastal flooding and potentially damaging wind gusts.” — Carmen Roberts (03:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On unprecedented federal layoffs:

  "Feds hand out pink slips. President Trump taking the unprecedented step of firing more than 4,000 federal workers during a government shutdown." — Roger Stern (00:02)

• On rare earths and China:

  "They hit the world with something that really is not anything that people are going to do. And it was shocking." — Roger Stern (01:21), referring to China's rare earth export curbs

• On the ongoing storm threat:

  "A storm set to thrash the coastal Carolinas then hit the Northeast over the weekend and into Columbus Day Monday." — Carmen Roberts (03:52)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:02] — Federal worker layoffs under Trump administration
• [00:51] — Announcement of new tariffs on China
• [01:38] — Trump’s visit to Israel/Egypt & U.S. military involvement
• [02:16] — Tennessee munitions facility explosion
• [02:48] — Indictment of Letitia James, NY Attorney General
• [03:35] — Weather: nor’easter and East Coast flooding risk

This rapid-fire newscast delivers breaking updates across political, international, security, legal, and environmental topics, with a focus on the Trump administration’s assertive policies, escalating U.S.-China tensions, and unfolding domestic emergencies.