12PM ET 04/03/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 12PM ET 04/03/2026

Brief Overview

This episode of the Fox News Hourly Update delivers urgent breaking news, economic updates, and public policy developments. The main focus is on reports of a possible missing U.S. pilot in Iran, a notable jobs report signaling economic improvement, contentious debates over the expansion of data centers in Ohio, and the impact of a partial government shutdown on airport security and TSA staffing.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

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Breaking News: Possible Missing U.S. Pilot in Iran

• Iranian Claims vs. U.S. Military Response

  • Iranian state media reports a U.S. pilot ejected and is missing in southwestern Iran. (00:02)
  • U.S. Central Command states all U.S. fighter jets are accounted for. (00:19)
  • Iranian media claims to have shot down an "enemy fighter jet." (00:24)
  • President Trump briefed "all morning" on the situation. A rescue operation is reportedly underway. F15E jets have two pilots. (00:26–00:37)

• Urgency of Search and Rescue

  • Open-source video shows two U.S. search and rescue helicopters being refueled midair during daylight, highlighting urgency and a possibility of survivors. (00:37–01:08)
    • Quote: “To conduct a search and rescue mission with low flying helicopters over an area that is possibly contested...during the daylight, it shows an urgency and a suggestion that some of the pilots may have survived.”
      — Evan Brown, 00:37

• Official Standpoint

  • No confirmation yet from the U.S. military about missing pilots. (01:08)

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Economic Update: Surging U.S. Jobs Report

• March Job Gains

  • White House emphasizes a strong March, with 178,000 jobs created, surpassing expectations after losses in February. (01:08)

• Wages Rising Faster Than Inflation

  • Average hourly wage up 3.5% over past year—outpacing inflation and indicating “Americans are getting ahead.” (01:25)
    • Quote: “Americans are getting ahead, which was not the case under the last administration.”
      — Edward Lawrence, 01:25

• Sector Analysis: Healthcare

  • Rebound attributed partially to an end of a doctor office workers’ strike, showing up in healthcare hiring totals. (01:25)
  • Unemployment rate dips to 4.3%. (01:49)

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Ohio Data Center Ban Movement

• Grassroots Efforts and Ballot Initiative

  • Ohio ballot board authorizes petitioners to collect signatures for a November ballot initiative, potentially banning new data centers consuming more than 25 megawatts monthly. (02:11)

• Rationale Behind Initiative

  • Concerns about excessive use of water and electricity by large data centers.
    • Quote: “It’s the most impactful way for us human beings to govern the future of our state and our destiny in the state.”
      — Austin Barakter, attorney and petition co-author, 02:28

• Statewide Impact

  • Ohio already has over 200 data centers, with major expansions driven by AI demand from companies like Amazon, Meta, and Google. (02:33)

• Divide in Public Opinion

  • Supporters argue data centers bring jobs and opportunity, which could be threatened by the proposed ban. (02:33)

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TSA and Airport Security Amid Government Shutdown

• Staffing Crisis and Executive Order

  • Long security lines seen at airports caused by unpaid TSA staff during the partial government shutdown. (03:03)
  • President Trump issues executive order providing pay, which leads to more agents returning to work and call-out rates dropping over 40%. (03:03)

• Operational Improvements

  • ICE agents remain on-site assisting with line management and ID checks.
    • Quote: “Nationally, TSA call outs have dropped by more than 40% since Monday, according to DHS.”
      — Madison Scarpino, 03:03

• Legislative Stalemate

  • A bill to end the DHS shutdown remains stalled in the House due to disputes over immigration enforcement funding. (03:41)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On urgency of U.S. pilot rescue efforts:
  “To conduct a search and rescue mission with low flying helicopters over an area that is possibly contested...during the daylight, it shows an urgency and a suggestion that some of the pilots may have survived.”
  – Evan Brown (00:37)

• On economic recovery:
  “Americans are getting ahead, which was not the case under the last administration.”
  – Edward Lawrence (01:25)

• On local governance and the data center ballot initiative:
  “It’s the most impactful way for us human beings to govern the future of our state and our destiny in the state.”
  – Austin Barakter (02:28)

• On improved airport security staffing:
  “Nationally, TSA call outs have dropped by more than 40% since Monday, according to DHS.”
  – Madison Scarpino (03:03)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:02–01:08 – Breaking: Possible missing U.S. pilot in Iran and U.S. response
• 01:08–01:49 – Economic update and jobs report
• 02:11–02:49 – Ohio data center ballot issue
• 03:03–03:41 – TSA staffing crisis and airport security improvements

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This newscast captures a moment of international tension, economic improvement, state policy activism, and federal government dysfunction in real time, providing concise updates on each of these pressing topics.

Transcript

[Lisa Brady]

This is a FOX news alert. A U.S. pilot may be missing in Iran. I'm Lisa Brady. Iranian state media claiming a pilot ejected over southwestern Iran and has not been located.

[Jeff Manasseh]

The U.S. military has yet to confirm

[Edward Lawrence]

or deny a U.S. pilot is missing, though U.S. central Command posted Thursday on

[Lisa Brady]

social media that all U.S. fighter jets

[Evan Brown]

are accounted for despite Iranian reports of

[Edward Lawrence]

shooting down an enemy fighter jet.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Evan Brown, Fox News learning President Trump has been briefed all morning. A source tells the Associated Press the US has launched a rescue operation. An F15E fighter jet has two pilots.

[Evan Brown]

We see also some open source video showing that there were two search and rescue helicopters that were being refueled midair in daylight. That would suggest again an urgency to that search and rescue mission because it would be rare to conduct a search and rescue mission with low flying helicopters over an area that is possibly contested. Given that this happened during the daylight, it shows an urgency and a suggestion that some of that the pilots may have survived.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Jennifer Griffin. Again, no confirmation yet from the US Military on a pilot or pilots missing in Iran. The White House says the latest jobs report is a testament to the president's agenda. 178,000 jobs created in March, much more than expected after jobs were lost in February.

[Edward Lawrence]

When you look inside the numbers here, one thing really stands out again. The average hourly wage is rising faster than inflation, up 3 1/2% over the past 12 months. That means in general people are making more money than the rise in prices. Americans are getting ahead, which was not the case under the last administration. Also, when you look at where the jobs are, it reveals one reason for the boom. A strike among doctor office workers ended and that shows up in health care totals.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox businesses. Edward Lawrence at the White House. The unemployment rate dipping to 4.3%. America is listening to FOX News. Opponents of large data centers in Ohio win approval for their petition drive to add a ban to the state constitution.

[Jeff Manasseh]

The Ohio ballot board giving petitioners the green light to collect signatures for a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to potentially ban new data centers in Ohio that consume an enormous amount of electricity and water. Austin Barakter, an attorney and co author of the petition, it's the most impactful

[Evan Brown]

way for us human beings to govern

[Edward Lawrence]

the future of our state and our destiny in the state.

[Jeff Manasseh]

Ohio already has over 200 data centers with plans for rapid expansion from major players including Amazon, Meta and Google. Driven by AI demand. Supporters of the plants want those jobs and opportunity to stay in Ohio. Jeff Manasseh, FOX News.

[Lisa Brady]

The proposal would ban construction of new data centers that use more than 25 megawatts of electricity per month. Long security lines easing at US Airports after the president ordered that TSA agents be paid. Even though a Homeland Security shutdown continues,

[Madison Scarpino]

airport officials are expecting nearly 95,000 thousand people to fly out of here. Thankfully, especially after the last few weeks, things are going smoothly. And this all comes after days of absurdly long lines here at Hartsville Jackson, thanks to the ongoing partial government shutdown, TSA workers were not getting paid. This airport had one of the highest call out rates in the country. But now after President Trump's executive order, those workers are finally getting a paycheck. Many are back to work. Nationally, TSA call outs have dropped by more than 40% since Monday, according to DHS. And ICE agents are still here assisting those TSA workers. They're managing lines, checking IDs.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Madison Scarpino, a bill to end the DHS shutdown is on hold right now in the US House in an ongoing debate over immigration enforcement funding. And Lisa Brady, this is FOX News.