3AM ET 01/23/2026 Newscast - Fox News Hourly Update

Summary4 min read

Fox News Hourly Update

Episode: 3AM ET 01/23/2026 Newscast
Host: Ted Lindner
Date: January 23, 2026

Episode Overview

This broadcast delivers a rapid-fire overview of breaking US and international news. Top stories include Congressional spending legislation to avert a government shutdown, Vice President J.D. Vance’s visit to Minnesota addressing ICE-local cooperation, recent protests and arrests in St. Paul, a looming nationwide winter storm, an update on the TikTok/ByteDance deal, former President Trump’s remarks about special counsel Jack Smith, the death toll from Iran’s protest crackdowns, and Meta layoffs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Congressional Efforts to Avert Government Shutdown

[00:02] The House passed four appropriations bills, as part of a total of 12 bills amounting to $1.2 trillion, to prevent a government shutdown.
- Speaker Mike Johnson: “The House has now passed all 12 appropriations bills and the Senate will soon do the same and the president is going to sign them into law. What a concept, gentlemen.”
- The Senate is expected to take up the bills next week, before the January 30 deadline.

2. Immigration Enforcement and ICE Controversy in Minnesota

[00:34] Vice President J.D. Vance visited Minnesota, urging local and state officials to cooperate more fully with ICE.
- VP Vance (paraphrased): Cooperation with ICE would reduce chaos in the Twin Cities, with violence over ICE operations more severe in Minnesota than elsewhere.
- He stated that he does not believe invoking the Insurrection Act is necessary “right now,” but “if things get worse, that would be a real problem” ([00:56]).
- Governor Tim Walz remains staunchly critical of ICE: “Its campaign of retribution has got to stop.”

3. Protests and Arrests at Minnesota Church

[01:13] – [01:40] The Department of Homeland Security announced an arrest following anti-ICE protests at a St. Paul church.
- At least three protesters arrested for interrupting a church service and shouting at worshippers for half an hour. They're facing potential federal charges for interfering with religious freedom.
- Reporter: “At least one made her first appearance in federal court.”
- VP Vance (reiterated): “The biggest problem is the lack of cooperation between the two sides.”

4. Upcoming Winter Storm

[02:32] A “triple whammy” winter storm is forecast to hit the country starting Friday night, affecting over 200 million Americans.
- Louisiana State Climatologist Jay Grimes ([02:43]): “Ice for the northern parishes followed by snow, followed by that bitter cold arctic air.”

5. TikTok Spinoff Deal

[02:52] The US and China reached a spinoff deal allowing TikTok to continue operating in the US, addressing concerns over Chinese parent ByteDance.
- A new joint venture to be led by American investors Oracle and Silver Lake.

6. President Trump and Special Counsel Jack Smith

[03:22] In response to House Judiciary Committee testimony:
- President Trump (via Truth Social): Called special counsel Jack Smith “deranged” and said, “Smith destroyed the lives of innocent people and at a minimum committed large scale perjury.”
- Smith defended his investigations into Trump post-2020 election, stating evidence showed Trump “committed serious crimes.”

7. Iran Protest Crackdown Death Toll

[03:53] Activist reports indicate the protest death toll in Iran has reached at least 5,002, with internet blackouts hampering news.

8. Meta Layoffs

[03:53] Meta is laying off hundreds—possibly 1,500—workers, primarily in its Reality Labs division, as it pivots further toward AI development.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Speaker Mike Johnson ([00:14]): “The House has now passed all 12 appropriations bills and the Senate will soon do the same and the president is going to sign them into law. What a concept, gentlemen.”
VP J.D. Vance ([00:56]): "Right now… I do not believe the Insurrection Act is needed. But if things get worse, that would be a real problem."
Governor Tim Walz ([00:59]): “Its [ICE’s] campaign of retribution has got to stop.”
Louisiana State Climatologist Jay Grimes ([02:43]): "It's a triple whammy. Ice for the northern parishes followed by snow, followed by that bitter cold arctic air."
President Trump ([03:28]): "Smith destroyed the lives of innocent people and at a minimum committed large scale perjury."

Timeline & Timestamps For Important Segments

[00:02] – Government shutdown threat; House passes spending bills
[00:34] – VP Vance in Minnesota, calls for more ICE cooperation
[01:13] – Arrests after anti-ICE protest at St. Paul church
[02:32] – Winter storm forecast for the US
[02:52] – TikTok spinoff deal with US and China
[03:22] – Trump denounces Special Counsel Jack Smith
[03:53] – Update: Iran’s protest death toll, Meta layoffs

Tone and Style

Consistent with Fox News’ brisk, headline-driven delivery, the broadcast is fact-focused, direct, and urgent with quotations provided verbatim from political figures and expert sources.

End of Summary

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Transcript19 lines

[00:03]
A
The House passes spending bills. I'm Ted Lindner, FOX news. A government shutdown could kick in at the end of the month. But on Thursday, the House, trying to prevent that, passed those four bills aimed at averting it. Speaker Mike Johnson, the House has now passed all 12 appropriations bills and the Senate will soon do the same and the president is going to sign them into law. What a concept, gentlemen. The bills total $1.2 trillion. The Senate expected to take up the bills next week. Ahead of that Jan. 30 deadline. Vice President J.D. vance in a trip to Minnesota Thursday called for more local help for ICE operations.
[00:35]
B
The vice president's message in Minneapolis to local and state officials is to work with ICE saying the chaos would go way down in the Twin Cities, that we're not seeing the level of violence over ICE action in other states like we're seeing in Minnesota.
[00:48]
A
Maybe the problem is unique to Minneapolis and we believe that it is. And it's a lack of cooperation between state and and local law enforcement and federal law enforcement.
[00:57]
B
Vice President Vance saying right now that he does not believe the Insurrection act is needed. But if things get worse, that would be a real problem. Governor Tim Walz on ex Thursday continued bashing ICE saying, quote, its campaign of retribution has got to stop. Jeff Manasso, FOX News.
[01:13]
A
Meantime, the Homeland Security Department says it's made an arrest after anti ICE activists shut down that Minnesota church service last weekend.
[01:20]
C
The Justice Department making at least three arrests of protesters who interrupted a church service in St. Paul Sunday, shouted at worshippers for about half an hour that they should be out demonstrating against ice. They could face federal charges for interfering with freedom to practice religion. At least one made her first appearance in federal court.
[01:41]
A
Do we want these arrests to be so chaotic? No, we don't.
[01:45]
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Vice President J.D. vance was on the ground here meeting with federal agents and local law enforcement. He says the biggest problem is is the lack of cooperation between the two sides.
[01:55]
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Fox's Steve Harrigan, America's listening to FOX news.
[02:00]
D
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[02:32]
A
A winter storm will spread snow, ice and cold temps across the country set to begin Friday night. Louisiana state climatologist Jay Grimes says his state will get hit hard. So it's a triple whammy.
[02:43]
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Ice for the northern parishes followed by snow, followed by that bitter cold arctic air.
[02:52]
A
More than 200 million people across the US will be impacted by the storm. A deal on TikTok the US and China signing off on a spinoff deal that will allow the short form video app to continue to operate in the US by addressing concerns about its Chinese parent company ByteDance. A White House official confirming this to Fox Business Thursday. The new TikTok US joint venture featuring a mostly American investor group led by Oracle and Silver Lake was revealed last month. President Trump calling for the special counsel who pursued criminal charges against him to be prosecuted. Fox's Jared Halpern reacting to hours of.
[03:22]
E
Testimony at the House Judiciary Committee, President Trump says former special counsel Jack Smith, who the president calls deranged, should be prosecuted. Untruth social the president says Smith destroyed the lives of innocent people and at a minimum committed large scale perjury. At a House hearing, Smith defended his work leading two criminal investigations of President Trump, saying he gathered evidence President Trump committed serious crimes following his re election loss in 2020. At the White House, Jared Halpern, Fox News.
[03:53]
A
The death toll from Iran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests reached at least 5,002 people killed Friday, according to activists. The warning many more still were feared dead as the Internet blackout in the country is now into its second week. The U. S based human rights activist news agency offering that new updated death toll. And hundreds of Meta employees are being laid off at the company's Reality Labs division in California. As tech job cuts accelerate, Meta is shifting its business model towards AI Meta, acknowledging the layoffs will be in the hundreds, but the New York Times says it's likely to 1500 people representing about 10% of the division's workforce. I'm Ted Lindner. This is FOX News.
[04:29]
F
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