4AM ET 05/06/2026 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update – 4AM ET 05/06/2026 Newscast

Host: Sue Guzman
Date: May 6, 2026
Podcast: Fox News Radio Hourly Update

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Episode Overview

This broadcast covers major international and domestic news highlights, focusing on the Trump administration’s pause on Project Freedom in the Strait of Hormuz, diplomatic developments with Iran, key updates from the Ohio and Indiana primaries, and an indictment relating to the White House Correspondents Dinner shooting. The fast-paced episode features commentary and reporting from Fox News correspondents as well as remarks from State Department spokesperson Tommy Pickett and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Project Freedom Paused: U.S. Strategy in the Strait of Hormuz

Timestamps: 00:02 – 01:47

• Trump Administration Pauses Project Freedom:
  President Trump announces a temporary pause of Operation Project Freedom, which involves escorting ships through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

• Diplomatic Approach Over Combat:

  • Tommy Pickett, State Department spokesman, highlights Trump's determination to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon while emphasizing the administration’s return to diplomatic engagement:

    "President Trump was very clear on the objective here. The Iranian regime can never have a nuclear weapon. And at first he tried the diplomatic approach. Then we saw Operation Midnight here and the diplomatic approach was opened yet again. Then we saw Operation Epic Fury. And now the president, as the secretary indicated today, really prefers to see a deal. He is a dealmaker."
    — Tommy Pickett (00:15)

  • President Trump remained ambiguous about a ceasefire red line, warning Iran that aggressive actions would be met with overwhelming force:

    "You'll find out... [Iran would be] blown off the face of the earth if they continue attacking US Ships in the strait."
    — Kevin Corr reporting (00:37)

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Position:

  • Rubio frames the U.S. operation as a global favor and firmly states:

    "The Strait of Hormuz does not belong to Iran... and the regime does not have the right to shoot at commercial vessels transiting the narrow waterway."
    — Marco Rubio (01:14)

  • On normalization with Iran:

    "And it cannot be normalized under no circumstances until we live in a world where we accept, okay, this is normal. You have to coordinate with Iran. You have to pay them a toll in order to go through the Straits of Hormuz."
    — Tommy Pickett (01:24)

  • On military engagement:

    "There's no shooting unless we're shot at first, okay? We're not attacking them."
    — Tommy Pickett (01:43)

  • Rubio does not rule out resumption of combat operations if diplomacy fails.

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2. Ohio and Indiana Primary Results

Timestamps: 03:08 – 04:36

• Ohio Senate and Governor Races Set:

  • Sherrod Brown wins the Democratic Senate primary and will challenge Republican Senator John Husted.
  • The gubernatorial race will feature Republican Vivek Ramaswamy vs. Democrat Amy Acton, the latter noted for her COVID-era health leadership.

• Record-Breaking Campaign Spending Expected:

  • Ohio's Senate race predicted to be among the year’s most expensive as GOP fights to keep Senate control.

• Indiana Primaries – Testing Trump’s Influence:

  • Five Trump-backed candidates defeat incumbents who opposed a Trump-backed redistricting initiative.

  • Notable outcomes:

    • Travis Holdman (R) loses to Blake Feechter, a Trump-backed city councilman (03:55).

    • Greg Good, existing GOP state senator, manages to hold off a Trump-backed challenger.

    • Trump’s endorsements aim to tip Indiana’s congressional map to favor further GOP gains.

      "The president had vowed to endorse the challengers of seven GOP state senators who were among those that voted to block the White House's push to redraw Indiana's congressional map mid decade."
      — Kristen Goodwin (04:15)

  • In another notable result, Tracy Powell defeats Jim Buck, who was endorsed by former Vice President Mike Pence.

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3. Other Major National News

Timestamps: 04:36 – 04:55

• White House Correspondents Dinner Shooting Update:
  • Grand jury indictment for Cole Allen, accused in a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents Dinner:
    • Charges include assaulting a federal officer, attempting to assassinate the president, and illegal firearm transportation.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Iran’s Rights Over the Strait of Hormuz:

  "The Strait of Hormuz does not belong to Iran... and the regime does not have the right to shoot at commercial vessels transiting the narrow waterway."
  — Marco Rubio (01:14)

• On the Limits of Normalizing Iranian Demands:

  "And it cannot be normalized under no circumstances until we live in a world where we accept, okay, this is normal. You have to coordinate with Iran. You have to pay them a toll in order to go through the Straits of Hormuz."
  — Tommy Pickett (01:24)

• On Military Rules of Engagement:

  "There's no shooting unless we're shot at first, okay? We're not attacking them."
  — Tommy Pickett (01:43)

• On Redistricting Battles in Indiana:

  "The president had vowed to endorse the challengers of seven GOP state senators who were among those that voted to block the White House's push to redraw Indiana's congressional map mid decade."
  — Kristen Goodwin (04:15)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• Project Freedom Pause & Iran Updates: 00:02–01:47
• Ohio & Indiana Primary Results: 03:08–04:36
• White House Correspondents Dinner Shooting Indictment: 04:36–04:55

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This episode delivers a brisk roundup of international flashpoints, state-level power struggles, and an ongoing threat against national leaders—highlighting the intersection of military, diplomatic, and electoral news shaping the current American landscape.

Transcript

[Sue Guzman]

Pumping the brakes. I'm Sue Guzman, Fox News. The Trump administration announcing it is pausing Project Freedom. It's escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pickett telling Fox

[Tommy Pickett]

President Trump was very clear on the objective here. The Iranian regime can never have a nuclear weapon. And at first he tried the diplomatic approach. Then we saw Operation Midnight here and the diplomatic approach was opened yet again. Then we saw Operation Epic Fury. And now the president, as the secretary indicated today, really prefers to see a deal. He is a dealmaker.

[Sue Guzman]

More from Fox's Kevin Corr.

[Kevin Corr]

A temporary pause. That is how President Trump is describing the ongoing effort dubbed Project Freedom now. It is, of course meant to secure ship movement through the Strait of Hormuz. The president of course, declined to define what a cease fire red line might be saying adroitly today. You'll find out, though he did suggest that Iran would be blown off the face of the earth, earth if they continue attacking US Ships in the strait. We also learned from the secretary of State Marco Rubio that a pair of Navy vessels successfully transited the strait.

[Sue Guzman]

The secretary of State said the U.S. s operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was a favor to the world.

[Marco Rubio]

The Strait of Hormuz does not belong to Iran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio says, and the regime does not have the right to shoot at commercial vessels transiting the narrow waterway.

[Tommy Pickett]

And it cannot be normalized under no circumstances until we live in a world where we accept, okay, this is normal. You have to coordinate with Iran. You have to pay them a toll in order to go through the Straits of Hormuz.

[Marco Rubio]

Briefing reporters at the White House, Rubio said Operation Epic Fury, the combat mission against Iran is over and the priority now is reopening the strait.

[Tommy Pickett]

There's no shooting unless we're shot at first, okay? We're not attacking them.

[Marco Rubio]

Still, Rubio did not rule out the possibility combat operations resume if diplomatic negotiations fail. At the White House, Jared Halpern, FOX News America's List.

[Sue Guzman]

Listening to Fox News,

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[Sue Guzman]

Tuesday night's Ohio primary has set up two marquee matchups in a Senate race that will determine control of the chamber and a governor's race featuring a former presidential candidate and the state's COVID 19 era health director. Senate campaign is on track to be among the most expensive this year as Republicans try to keep their majority. Former Senator Sherrod Brown easily defeated a challenger in the Democratic primary and will now attempt to unseat Republican Senator John Husted in the governor's race. Biotech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy clinched the Republican nomination and will face off this fall against Democrat Amy Acton, the COVID era health director. In Indiana, five Trump backed candidates have beaten incumbents who refused to approve redistricting plans supported by President Trump.

[Kristen Goodwin]

Indiana Republican State Senator Travis Holdman, losing to President Trump, backed Bluffton City Councilman Blake Feechter in the state's 19th district. But in district 38, GOP state senator Greg Good held off a challenge from President Trump endorsed Vigo County Councilwoman Brenda Wilson. The races are among seven Indiana GOP primaries that are testing the limits of President Trump's influence. The president had vowed to endorse the challengers of seven GOP state senators who were among those that voted to block the White House's push to redraw Indiana's congressional map mid decade to potentially give Republicans two additional House seats in this year's midterm elections. Kristen Goodwin, Fox News Trump Act Republican

[Sue Guzman]

Tracy Powell defeated Republican State Senator Jim Buck, who was endorsed by former Vice President Mike Pence. And a grand jury has indicted the suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner Cole Allen. He is charged with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, attempting to assassinate the president of the United States and transportation of a firearm and ammunition with the intent to commit a felony. I'm Sue Guzman. This is Fox News.