12AM ET 08/12/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 12AM ET 08/12/2026 Newscast

Date: August 12, 2026
Host: Sue Guzman (FOX News Podcasts)

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers a brisk, comprehensive update on major U.S. political developments, key election results, and significant international and domestic news stories. Top stories include Senator Darling Graham advancing in South Carolina’s primary, notable election outcomes in multiple states, the release of Marine veteran Robert Gilman from Russian custody, a Secret Service deception operation to protect President Trump, and a rare surge in scheduled executions across several states.

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Key News Points & Insights

1. South Carolina Senate Runoff: Graham vs. Norman

[00:02–00:48]

• Senator Darling Graham advances to a runoff election.
• Graham thanks former President Trump for his endorsement:
  • "I want to thank President Trump. His steadfast support and his complete and total endorsement mean so much to me. He knows that I will stand with him and fight for his agenda." – Darling Graham ([00:14])
• Opponent Congressman Ralph Norman questions Graham’s political experience and stakes out conservative positions on:
  • Abortion rights ("pro life"),
  • Death penalty,
  • Government spending.
  • "Where does she stand on pro life? Where does she stand on the death penalty? Where will she stand on spending?... My record is an open book. You know what I've done." – Ralph Norman ([00:34])
• Runoff election date: August 25.

2. Wisconsin Democratic Primary: Francesca Hong’s Impact

[00:48–01:39]

• Francesca Hong emerges as a leading progressive in the Democratic primary.
• Hong’s victory could cement Democratic Socialists of America's (DSA) influence in the party.
• Hong’s platform appeals to a left-leaning base:
  • "Democrats in at least her areas where she's popular, they truly have an appetite for taking a sharp left turn." – Alexandria Hall ([01:01])
• Hong addresses criticism:
  • Has moderated earlier controversial stances (defunding police, prisons, etc.) to improve electability.
• Republican winner: Tom Tiffany.

3. Other State Election Highlights

[01:39–02:00]

• Connecticut: Governor Ned Lamont defeated Josh Elliott, securing a third term.
• Minnesota:
  • Amy Klobuchar won the Democratic primary for governor.
  • Lisa DeMuth (House Speaker) won the Republican gubernatorial primary.

4. Release of Marine Veteran Robert Gilman from Russian Prison

[02:23–03:10]

• Robert Gilman, an American teacher and Marine veteran, is freed after four years in a Russian prison.
• Details:
  • Was gravely ill, reportedly in a dissociative stupor for 47 days prior to release.
  • Arrested for allegedly beating an officer; sentence later extended for a second assault conviction.
  • Only one of eight known Americans held in Russia.
  • "Officials say Gilman has been in a disassociative stupor for 47 days after suffering abuse in prison and was moved to a civilian hospital and hooked up to a feeding tube before his release." – Jared Halpern ([02:31])

5. Secret Service Decoy Operation for President Trump

[03:10–04:02]

• Covert operation: Aimed to fool Iranian intelligence after the July NATO summit in Turkey.
• Decoy narrative:
  • Trump publicly boarded Air Force One, but was whisked away in a catering truck and flew on a smaller plane (C-32A) instead.
  • Most White House staff and press remained on Air Force One.
• White House Communications Director’s response:
  • "There are many enemies of America who have their sights on him. We use every tool at our disposal to address those threats." ([03:24])

6. Triple Execution Scheduled: Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee

[04:02–04:20]

• Three executions set for same day—first time in nearly 16 years.
• States involved: Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee.

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Notable Quotes

• Darling Graham, on Trump's endorsement ([00:14]):
  • “I want to thank President Trump. His steadfast support and his complete and total endorsement mean so much to me.”
• Ralph Norman, on primary issues ([00:34]):
  • “Where does she stand on pro life? Where does she stand on the death penalty? Where will she stand on spending?... My record is an open book.”
• Alexandria Hall, on Francesca Hong’s popularity ([01:01]):
  • “Democrats in at least her areas where she's popular, they truly have an appetite for taking a sharp left turn.”
• Jared Halpern, on Robert Gilman's release ([02:31]):
  • “Officials say Gilman has been in a disassociative stupor for 47 days after suffering abuse in prison and was moved to a civilian hospital and hooked up to a feeding tube before his release.”
• White House Communications Director, on Trump’s security ([03:24]):
  • “There are many enemies of America who have their sights on him. We use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.”

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Timestamps of Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------|-------------| | South Carolina Senate Runoff | 00:02–00:48 | | Wisconsin Primary & Francesca Hong | 00:48–01:39 | | Other State Primaries | 01:39–02:00 | | Robert Gilman freed from Russia | 02:23–03:10 | | Secret Service decoy op for President Trump | 03:10–04:02 | | Triple state execution scheduled | 04:02–04:20 |

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Fox News Hourly Update delivers a rapid, authoritative take on the top stories dominating headlines, blending direct reporting with on-the-ground insight and political analysis. The tone is brisk, factual, and focused on headlines, making it a concise resource for catching up on national and international developments.

Transcript

[Sue Guzman]

Graham advances. I'm Sue Guzman. Fox News. Senator Darling Graham has now advanced to a runoff election in South Carolina. Senator Graham extending a thank you tonight to President Trump.

[Alexandria Hall]

I want to thank President Trump. His steadfast support and his complete and total endorsement mean so much to me. He knows that I will stand with

[Sue Guzman]

him and fight for his agenda. She will face Congressman Ralph Norman in a runoff, who is is questioning Graham's lack of political experience.

[Fox News Announcer]

Where does she stand on pro life? Where does she stand on the death penalty? Where will she stand on spending? So we'll get into the debate, which I welcome the debate. My record is an open book. You know what I've done.

[Sue Guzman]

A runoff schedule for August 25th. Polls are closed in Wisconsin. Voters may soon know if Francesca Hong will be the latest progressive Democrat to secure a primary. When fox's Alexandria hall the outcome of tonight's primary.

[Alexandria Hall]

This will truly shape how the Democratic Party at large large engages with voters because a Francesca Hong victory will mean that the DSA's influence on the party has been cemented. Hong cast her ballot in Madison, Wisconsin, earlier today. She's a Democratic socialist, member of the state assembly and a former chef who has found that Democrats in at least her areas where she's popular, they truly have an appetite for taking a sharp left turn. But in the past two weeks, she's also embarked on this balancing act, trying to soothe concerns from other state Democrats over her electability in November. She's walked back some of those outlandish past statements we've heard about, you know, defunding the police, prisons, the Senate and Thanksgiving, saying she's evolved on those.

[Sue Guzman]

Representative TOM Tiffany won on the Republican side. In Connecticut, Governor Ned Lamont defeated a state representative Josh Elliott, as he seeks a third term. He got his third term of office. And in Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar won the Democratic nod for governor of Minnesota. And Minnesota House Speaker Lisa DeMuth won Republican Minnesota's governor's primary. America's listening to FOX News.

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[Sue Guzman]

Russia has freed an American believed to have been held in an abusive prison for many years. Here's fox's Jared Halpern with more.

[Jared Halpern]

Marine veteran Robert Gilman is returning to US Soil after four years in a Russian prison. Advocates for his release have warned Gilman is gravely ill and was near death. The 32 year old American teacher was arrested in 2022 and convicted of beating a police officer and later convicted of assaulting a prison official. His sentence was extended to 10 years. Officials say Gilman has been in a disassociative stupor for 47 days after suffering abuse in prison and was moved to a civilian hospital and hooked up to a feeding tube before his release. Gilman was one of eight Americans believed to remain in in Russian custody at the White House. Jared Halpern, FOX News.

[Sue Guzman]

We are learning about the cloak and dagger techniques used by the Secret Service to try to fool Iran into thinking President Trump was returning from last month's NATO summit in Turkey aboard Air Force One. The plane took off without him in case of a feared Iranian attack.

[Alex Hogan]

The Washington Post reporting that despite President Trump climbing up and boarding onto the Air Force One jumbo jet, he didn't actually take that plane. The report says that minutes later, the president was shuttled away in an airport catering truck. The president was taken to a smaller plane, an Air Force C32AMembers of the press and other staffers from the White House were still on that Air Force One plane. White House communications director, reacting to this story this week, saying, as the president has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him. We use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.

[Sue Guzman]

Fox's Alex Hogan at the White House. Alabama, Oklahoma and Tennessee planning to execute inmates on Thursday. This marks the first time in nearly 16 years that three people are scheduled for execution on the same day in the United States. I'm Sue Guzman. This is FOX News.

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