2AM ET 07/08/2026 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update: 2AM ET 07/08/2026 — Episode Summary

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Main Theme

This episode delivers a fast-paced roundup of major U.S. and international news as of July 8, 2026. The focus is on heightened U.S.-Iran tensions following a new series of military strikes, swift political fallout from a Senate scandal, fresh flashpoints in American history debates, and city-level emergencies and criminal charges.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Escalation in U.S.-Iran Tensions

• [00:02 – 00:55]
  • U.S. Strikes Complete: U.S. Central Command has completed new, significant airstrikes against Iranian targets, including air defense, coastal surveillance, and port facilities.
  • A senior U.S. official emphasizes the scale and “signal” of these strikes, calling them “significantly larger than the ones carried out last month.”
  • Targeted as a direct response to Iran's recent attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, described as “unwarranted, dangerous and a clear violation of the ceasefire.”
  • Qatar blames Iran for attacking one of its tankers.
  • The Trump administration reiterates a hardline stance: attacks on shipping will not be tolerated.
  • Quote:
    • “These strikes are significant, significantly larger than the ones carried out last month and that they're meant to send a signal that attacking commercial shipping is unacceptable.” — Senior U.S. Official ([00:18])
• Iranian Retaliation: Iran responds with strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait.
  • Iran’s military leadership brands U.S. actions as a “blatant act of aggression” and vows to deliver a “crushing response.” ([00:55])

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2. Democratic Senate Candidate Scandal

• [01:17 – 01:48]
  • Scandal Fallout: More than 40 top Democrats withdraw their endorsements of Graham Platner after new sexual assault allegations emerge.
  • Bernie Sanders now part of the growing group distancing from Platner, calling the allegations “too serious to ignore.”
  • One accuser, Lindsey Fifield, describes her frustration over the time it took for her claims to spur real fallout.
  • Quote:
    • “More than 40, count them, 40 top Democrats who once backed Graham Platner have now abandoned him, demanding that he end his campaign.” — Kevin Corr ([01:17])
    • “She hopes the mounting backlash will finally end the campaign, but says it's still very painful that her allegations alone haven't been enough.” — Kevin Corr summarizing Lindsey Fifield ([01:38])

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3. Georgia 2020 Election Records and DOJ Ruling

• [01:48]
  • A federal judge blocks the Justice Department from accessing personal information for all workers from the 2020 election in Georgia.

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4. Debate Over Smithsonian’s Historical Presentation

• [02:32 – 03:25]
  • Administration vs. Smithsonian: Trump admin accuses the Smithsonian of pushing a “left-wing political stance” in its depiction of U.S. history.
  • The critique comes via a new report, “Saving America's Story,” stemming from a March executive order auditing federally funded cultural institutions.
  • Allegations include emphasis on open borders, transgender advocacy, and a lack of focus on founding fathers except through the lens of slavery.
  • Smithsonian responds, defending its 180-year track record of “non partisan and independent scholarship.”
  • Quote:
    • “The report claims that America's founding fathers are hardly featured and introduced chiefly through their connection to slavery.” — Alexandria Hoff ([02:58])
    • “For more than 180 years, the Smithsonian has served the American public with non partisan and independent scholarship and we remain committed to doing so.” — Smithsonian spokesperson ([03:13])

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5. Manhattan High-Rise Emergency

• [03:25 – 03:53]
  • A potentially catastrophic building instability in Manhattan has been brought under control through “emergency shoring measures.”
  • Commissioner Ahmed Tagani expresses “confidence” in the stabilization efforts.
  • Third-party engineers are brought in for oversight; some evacuation and street closures remain.
  • No injuries reported.
  • Quote:
    • “We are feeling confident that many of the emergency shoring measures... are stabilizing the situation.” — Commissioner Ahmed Tagani ([03:35])

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6. Idaho Mother’s Indictment for Deaths of Twins

• [03:53 – 04:28]
  • Andrea Shaw, of Idaho, indicted for the first-degree murder of her 18-month-old twins, whom she falsely claimed had died as a result of vaccines.
  • Prosecutors allege suffocation; the death penalty is a potential outcome if convicted.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Iran strikes:
  “They're meant to send a signal that attacking commercial shipping is unacceptable.” — Senior U.S. Official ([00:18])
• On Senate race fallout:
  “More than 40, count them, 40 top Democrats who once backed Graham Platner have now abandoned him...” — Kevin Corr ([01:17])
• On Smithsonian report:
  “The report claims that America's founding fathers are hardly featured and introduced chiefly through their connection to slavery.” — Alexandria Hoff ([02:58])
• On Manhattan high-rise rescue:
  “We are feeling confident that many of the emergency shoring measures... are stabilizing the situation.” — Commissioner Ahmed Tagani ([03:35])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:02 — Start: U.S.-Iran escalation, military strikes
• 00:55 — Iran’s counterstrike and rhetoric
• 01:17 — Democratic leaders abandon Senate candidate
• 01:48 — DOJ blocked from accessing Georgia election worker data
• 02:32 — Trump admin/Sanithsonian clash on American history
• 03:25 — NYC high-rise stabilization update
• 03:53 — Idaho mother indicted for twins’ deaths

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This update episode moves rapidly through significant global and domestic flashpoints, echoing the urgency and high stakes behind each item, with brief but pointed soundbites from officials, politicians, and reporters.

Transcript

[Sue Guzman]

New strikes complete. I'm Sue Guzman, Fox News. U.S. central Command forces have wrapped up another series of strikes against Iran in response to Iran's attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

[Fox News Senior US Official]

Our military is launching new strikes against Iran. The targets include air defense systems, coastal surveillance systems and port facilities inside Iran. A senior US Official tells Fox News that these strikes are significant, significantly larger than the ones carried out last month and that they're meant to send a signal that attacking commercial shipping is unacceptable. The strikes are in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were going through the Strait of Hormuz. Sencom says those attacks were, quote, unwarranted, dangerous and a clear violation of the ceasefire. Qatar is blaming Iran for attacking one of its tankers. And again, the Trump administration standing firm saying these attacks will not be tolerated.

[Sue Guzman]

This is Christina Coleman. Iran retaliating with strikes targeting Bahrain and Kuwait. And Iran's top joint military command Tuesday vowed to deliver a crushing response, calling US Strikes a blatant act of aggression. Democratic leaders mulling their options after learning about new allegations that dropped against Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner. Fox's Kevin Corr.

[Kevin Corr]

More than 40, count them, 40 top Democrats who once backed Graham Platner have now abandoned him, demanding that he end his campaign. The latest to do so, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who now says the sexual assault allegations against Platner are too serious to ignore. One of Platner's accusers, a woman by the name of Lindsey Fifield, tells CNN she hopes the mounting backlash will finally end the campaign, but says it's still very painful that her allegations alone haven't been enough.

[Sue Guzman]

Federal judge ruling the Justice Department cannot have access to personal information for every person who worked during the 2020 election in Georgia. America's listening to fo who helps America

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[Sue Guzman]

the Trump administration is accusing the Smithsonian of taking a left wing political stance in how it presents American history. Details from fox's Alexandria Hoff.

[Alexandria Hoff]

Titled Saving America's Story, the report is the first product of President Trump's March executive order calling for an audit of all cultural institutions that receive federal funding. In it, the Smithsonian leadership is charged with promoting ideas like open borders and transgender advocacy. Despite the American History Museum commemorating the country's 250th anniversary, the report claims that America's founding fathers are hardly featured and introduced chiefly through their connection to slavery. Responding to the report, a Smithsonian spokesperson tells Fox, for more than 180 years, the Smithsonian has served the American public with non partisan and independent scholarship and we remain committed to doing so. At the National Museum of American History, Alexander Ahaf, the New York City building

[Sue Guzman]

commissioner announcing Tuesday night that they have stabilized a structurally compromised Manhattan high rise amid fears it would collapse. Commissioner Ahmed Tagani says the changes they made are holding.

[Ryan Reynolds]

We are feeling confident that many of the emergency shoring measures that have been put in place as a result of extensive discussions with the building owner, the contractor or licensed professional is stabilizing the situation.

[Sue Guzman]

Tagani says the city has also hired a third party engineer to act as another set of eyes. Several buildings remain under evacuation orders. Some streets remain closed, but pedestrian restrictions have since been lifted. There have been no injuries. And a grand jury indicting an Idaho woman on two counts of first degree murder in the deaths of her 18 month old twins who she had claimed died from vaccine. She made those comments in an appearance on an Internet program. 23 year old Andrea Shaw is accused of suffocating them. She could get the death penalty if she's found guilty. I'm Sue Guzman. This is FOX News.

[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Alexandria Hoff]

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