2AM ET 05/13/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 2AM ET 05/13/2026 Newscast

Host: Chris DiMaio, FOX News Podcasts
Date: May 13, 2026
Episode Theme:
A succinct roundup of major breaking news stories across politics, global conflict, public health, aviation security, and criminal justice, spotlighting President Trump’s diplomatic trip to Beijing, escalating US-Iran tensions, a tragic airport incident, a cruise ship virus outbreak, military budget hearings, and a high-profile exoneration in Texas.

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1. Diplomatic Crisis: Trump Heads to Beijing Amid Hormuz Tensions

Segment Start: [00:02]

• President Trump’s Mission:

  • President Donald Trump is traveling to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
  • Main agenda: Requesting China’s cooperation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, vital for global oil shipping, currently threatening energy markets.

  “He says he’ll ask for his cooperation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.”
  — Chris DiMaio ([00:03])

• Key Discussion Points:

  • China’s significance: Largest buyer of Iranian crude oil.

  • The U.S. seeks to leverage China’s influence over Iran amid a fragile ceasefire.

    “He did say he’s going to have a long talk with him about it, noting though that China is the largest buyer of Iranian crude oil.”
    — Fox News Political Analyst ([00:13])

  • President Trump characterizes his relationship with Xi as amicable, possibly suggesting hopeful prospects for negotiations.

    “We’ve had no problem and he’s been a friend of mine. He’s been somebody that we get along with.”
    — President Donald Trump ([00:21])

  • Additional talking points: The impact of tariffs, AI, and rare earth minerals (crucial for chip manufacturing) expected on the table; U.S. farmers seek increased Chinese purchases of soybeans to offset the damage from higher fuel costs.

  • The ceasefire between U.S. and Iran described as “on life support,” with Democrats blaming tariffs for consumer pain.

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2. Middle East Escalation: US-Iran Showdown

Segment Start: [00:45]

• Atmosphere of Crisis:

  • Tensions remain high after President Trump publicly rejected Iran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal.
  • The situation threatens to push the Middle East back into open conflict.

• Capitol Hill & Military Preparedness:

  • Secretary of War Pete Hegseth assures lawmakers that contingency plans exist if escalation becomes necessary.
  • Iranian Parliament Speaker, Mohamed Kaliba, signals readiness for aggression, issuing stark warnings via social media.

  “Our armed forces are ready to deliver a well deserved response to any aggression. Mistaken strategy and mistaken decisions will always lead to mistaken results … They will be surprised.”
  — Mohamed Kaliba, Speaker of Iran’s Parliament ([01:13])

  • President Trump referred to Iran’s peace proposal dismissively, labeling it “a piece of garbage.”

    “…after President Trump rejected the Iranian response to the U.S. peace proposal, calling it a piece of garbage.”
    — Trey Yingst ([01:30])

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3. Domestic Incident: Deadly Security Breach at Denver Airport

Segment Start: [01:33]

• Incident Overview:

  • 41-year-old Michael Mott breached an eight-foot security fence at Denver airport, ran onto a runway, and was fatally struck by a departing Frontier Airlines plane carrying 231 people.

  • Raises significant concerns about airport security failures.

    “…a man who scaled an eight foot perimeter fence and crossed a Runway where he was hit and killed by a plane with 231 people on board.”
    — Chris DiMaio ([01:35])

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4. Public Health Alert: Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship

Segment Start: [02:39]

• Outbreak Developments:

  • Another former passenger from the MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged cruise ship, tests positive for hantavirus.

  • The affected, a Spanish national, joins 12 other infected (total: 11 confirmed, 3 deaths).

  • All 13 Spanish nationals from the ship now quarantined in Madrid.

    “The number of people infected with the potentially deadly virus is now 11, with three deaths.”
    — Jonathan Savage ([02:49])

  • The likely source traced to a Dutch couple exposed during a birdwatching trip in Argentina.

    “It’s thought the disease was brought on board by a Dutch couple who’d been bird watching in Argentina and came into contact with infected rat droppings.”
    — Jonathan Savage ([03:01])

  • WHO sees no signs of a larger outbreak at this stage.

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5. War Spending Scrutiny: Iran War Costs Under the Microscope

Segment Start: [03:17]

• Senate Hearing Highlights:

  • Military leaders defend the Pentagon’s strategy and logistics amid public skepticism over ammunition stockpiles and readiness.

  • Pentagon’s Comptroller reveals the Iran war’s cost is estimated at $29 billion (mainly munitions and equipment repairs), noting this does not account for damaged U.S. military bases in the region.

    “We know exactly what we have. We have plenty of what we need.”
    — Pentagon Official ([03:32])

    “The latest estimate for the cost of the Iran war is $29 billion, a figure mostly covering munitions and repairing equipment. But that estimate does not include repairing or rebuilding US Bases damaged in the region by Iranian attacks.”
    — Pentagon Official ([03:41])

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6. Justice Served: Austin to Pay in Wrongful Conviction Case

Segment Start: [04:01]

• Settlement Details:

  • Austin, Texas, agrees to a $35 million settlement for three men and the family of a fourth wrongfully imprisoned for a 1991 yogurt shop murder.

  • New DNA technology and advanced forensic analysis in 2025 led to their exoneration after decades of protestations of innocence.

    “They were finally declared innocent by a judge in February after investigators determined that the crime was committed by a suspect who died in 1999. New DNA science analyzed in 2025 freed the innocent men.”
    — Chris DiMaio ([04:23])

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Trump on Xi Jinping:

  “He’s been a friend of mine. He’s been somebody that we get along with.”
  — President Donald Trump ([00:21])

• Iranian Parliament Speaker on War Threat:

  “Mistaken strategy and mistaken decisions will always lead to mistaken results. The whole world has already figured this out. We are prepared for all options. They will be surprised.”
  — Mohamed Kaliba ([01:22])

• Military Readiness:

  “We know exactly what we have. We have plenty of what we need.”
  — Pentagon Official ([03:32])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:02] Diplomatic mission: Trump to Beijing
• [00:45] US-Iran tensions and military posturing
• [01:33] Denver airport fatal security breach
• [02:39] Cruise ship hantavirus outbreak update
• [03:17] Iran war budget senate hearing
• [04:01] Austin wrongful conviction settlement

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This episode provides a clear snapshot of critical news impacting U.S. foreign policy, domestic security and public health, blending firsthand soundbites with expert commentary and reportage to inform listeners of current events as they unfold.

Transcript

[Chris DiMaio]

Overseas business. I'm Chris DiMaio, Fox News. President Trump is on his way to Beijing where he'll meet with China's President Xi Jinping. He says he'll ask for his cooperation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

[Fox News Political Analyst]

He did say he's going to have a long talk with him about it, noting though that China is the largest buyer of Iranian crude oil.

[President Donald Trump]

We've had no problem and he's been a friend of mine. He's been somebody that we get along with.

[Fox News Political Analyst]

Trump says a ceasefire with Iran is on life support. Democrats say Americans are already paying the price price tariffs. AI and rare earth minerals used in chips are also expected to come up while American farmers hit by higher diesel fuel prices, want China to buy 25 more million metric tons of soybeans.

[Chris DiMaio]

FOX Zaisha Hosny in Beijing. Tensions meantime remain high between the US And Iran. After President Trump rejected Iran's response to the US Peace proposal.

[Pete Hegseth]

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Capitol Hill told lawmakers the United States has a plan to if escalation with Iran is necessary. The Middle east is bracing for the possibility that the region returns to war in the days ahead. The speaker of Iran's Parliament, Mohamed Kaliba, posted to X saying our armed forces are ready to deliver a well deserved response to any aggression. Mistaken strategy and mistaken decisions will always lead to mistaken results. The whole world has already figured this out. We are prepared for all options. They will be surprised. The threatening language comes after President Trump rejected the Iranian response to the U.S. peace proposal, calling it a piece of garbage.

[Chris DiMaio]

That's Fox's Trey Yingst. In Tel Aviv, Denver airport workers missed a security breach by a man who scaled an eight foot perimeter fence and crossed a Runway where he was hit and killed by a plane with 231 people on board. The 41 year old man, identified as Michael Mott, entered the airport and crossed the Runway as a Frontier Airlines plane attempted to take off. America's listening to Fox News.

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[Chris DiMaio]

another former passenger from The Dutch flagged cruise ship, the MV Hondius, has tested positive for hantavirus.

[Jonathan Savage]

The Spanish citizen was evacuated from the cruise ship at the center of the outbreak on Sunday. All 13 Spanish nationals on board are now quarantining at a military hospital in Madrid. The number of people infected with the potentially deadly virus is now 11, with three deaths. The world Health Organization says there are no signs of a larger outbreak. It's thought the disease was brought on board by a Dutch couple who'd been bird watching in Argentina and came into contact with infected rat droppings. Jonathan Savage, FOX News.

[Chris DiMaio]

Military leaders facing questions over the cost of the Iran war at a budget hearing on Tuesday.

[Pentagon Official]

Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed back on characterizations that ammunition is being depleted in Iran, but says the Pentagon is trying to ramp up weapons production.

We know exactly what we have. We have plenty of what we need. And the reason we're accelerating a lot of this is because the department's been static in how it does this kind of business.

Pentagon's comptroller told a Senate panel the latest estimate for the cost of the Iran war is $29 billion, a figure mostly covering munitions and repairing equipment. But that estimate does not include repairing or rebuilding US Bases damaged in the region by Iranian attacks. At the White House, Jared Halpern, Fox

[Chris DiMaio]

News, Austin, Texas, will pay $35 million to three men and the family of a fourth who were wrongly accused of the 1991 rape and murder of four teenage girls at a yogurt shop. Robert Springsteen, Michael Scott, Forrest Welburn and Maurice Pierce all insisted that they were innocent. They were finally declared innocent by a judge in February after investigators determined that the crime was committed by a suspect who died in 1999. New DNA science analyzed in 2025 freed the innocent men. I'm Chris DiMeo. This is Fox News.

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