4PM ET 03/31/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update — 4PM ET 03/31/2026

Date: March 31, 2026
Host/Newscaster: Lisa Brady, with reports from Pete Hegseth, Evan Brown, Jeff Spaulding, Jeff Manasso, Kristin Goodwin, and Ainsley Earhart
Main Theme:
A whirlwind of breaking national and global news, this bulletin covers major developments in the Iran conflict, President Trump’s legal setbacks, a landmark lunar mission, a high-profile corporate corruption trial, a product recall, and a major stock market rally.

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Main Theme and Purpose

The episode provides concise updates on critical headlines:

• The ongoing military operation and political upheaval in Iran,
• Legal challenges facing President Trump,
• NASA’s historic Artemis 2 moon mission,
• A stalled verdict in a high-profile Ohio corruption case,
• An FDA recall of contaminated chocolate supplements,
• And a remarkable day for US stocks.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Iran Conflict & Wall Street Surge

(00:03 - 00:59)

• Market Reaction:
  Lisa Brady opens with optimism on Wall Street, driven by hopes for de-escalation in Iran after both Iran’s president and President Trump signal willingness to end the conflict—even if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

  • “The Dow up more than 1100 points at the bell after reports of Iran’s president saying his country has the will to end the conflict and President Trump suggesting he may be willing to end it even if the Strait of Hormuz is not fully reopened.” – Lisa Brady (00:03)

• Military Developments:
  Operation Epic Fury enters its fifth week; U.S. and Israeli strikes are taking a toll on Iranian morale and military cohesion.

  • “Intelligence shows US and Israeli strikes are damaging the Iranian military’s morale, leading to widespread desertions, key personnel shortages and causing frustrations amongst senior leaders.” – Pete Hegseth (00:21)
  • U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth asserts ongoing military pressure is aimed at influencing Iran’s new, emerging leadership, with whom the Trump administration is communicating.
  • “No military options have been ruled out and the president intends to keep up the pressure.” – Pete Hegseth (00:54)
  • Regime Change Noted: Communication is with new leaders, signaling a regime change in Iran. (00:48)

• Military Escalation:

  • A third U.S. aircraft carrier has been sent to the Middle East, per the Wall Street Journal. (00:59)

2. Legal Setbacks for President Trump

(00:59 - 01:43)

• White House Ballroom Blocked:

  • A federal judge halts construction of Trump’s new White House ballroom, siding with preservationists:
    • “The judge says congressional approval is needed for the project. The president just defending the ballroom in a post suggesting other projects should be sued.” – Lisa Brady (01:01)
  • Suspension of enforcement and expected appeal noted.

• Other Court Rulings:

  • Judge reinstates legal status for migrants previously admitted via a Biden-era app.
  • Another ruling finds the president’s order to end federal funding for public broadcasting unlawful.

3. Artemis 2 Lunar Mission Countdown

(01:43 - 01:59)

• NASA prepares to send four astronauts around the moon for the first time since the 1970s.
  • “People are excited and ready to go on this first chapter on our way back to the moon since the 1970s.” – Jeff Spaulding, senior test director (01:43)
  • The ten-day Artemis 2 mission launches tomorrow.

4. Ohio FirstEnergy Corruption Trial

(03:01 - 03:44)

• Jury is deadlocked in the corruption trial of former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and former VP Michael Dowling—charged with bribery and conspiracy related to political bailouts.
  • “Jurors in Akron telling a judge they can’t reach a verdict...both charged with felony corruption, bribery, conspiracy and theft for paying millions of dollars for legislative and regulatory favors.” – Jeff Manasso (03:07)
  • Two others charged died by suicide; several have pleaded guilty.
  • The judge is considering declaring a mistrial.

5. FDA Recall: Chocolate with Undeclared Drug Ingredients

(03:44 - 04:39)

• The FDA announces recall of two chocolate products from Gir Isle (a California company) after finding undeclared prescription ingredients for erectile dysfunction (ED).
  • “The FDA says the chocolates are sold as dietary supplements which it does not approve, meaning they fall under less strict federal regulation.” – Kristin Goodwin/Ainsley Earhart (03:57)
  • The FDA warns of potential life-threatening interactions, though no adverse events have been reported yet.
  • “Ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs and may cause a significant drop in blood pressure.” – Kristin Goodwin/Ainsley Earhart (04:11)

6. Stock Market Rally

(04:39 - 04:58)

• Wall Street closes with major gains:
  • Dow up 1,125 points, back over 46,000.
  • S&P gains over 2%; Nasdaq up more than 3% (nearly 800 points).
  • “The Dow up 1125 points back over 46,000. The S&P also gaining more than 2%. The Nasdaq up more than 3%...” – Lisa Brady (04:39)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Military Pressure and Regime Change:
  • “This new regime because regime change has occurred, should be wiser than the last.” – Lisa Brady (00:48)
• On Judicial Decisions Against Trump:
  • “The president just defending the ballroom in a post suggesting other projects should be sued.” – Lisa Brady (01:09)
• On Artemis 2 Mission:
  • “People are excited and ready to go on this first chapter on our way back to the moon since the 1970s.” – Jeff Spaulding (01:43)
• On the Importance of the Product Recall:
  • “FDA says ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs and may cause a significant drop in blood pressure, urging folks who have used the products to contact a doctor...” – Kristin Goodwin/Ainsley Earhart (04:11)

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Timestamps for Key Sections

• (00:03) Wall Street surge and Iran conflict updates
• (00:21) Details on Operation Epic Fury & Iranian regime change
• (00:59) Legal setbacks for President Trump
• (01:43) Artemis 2 Moon Mission preview
• (03:01) Ohio FirstEnergy corruption trial deadlocks
• (03:44) FDA recall: chocolate with undeclared ED drugs
• (04:39) Stock market rally round-up

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Conclusion

This brisk Fox News newscast packed critical developments—including global conflict, political drama, legal reversals, space exploration, food safety, and economic optimism—into a tight, highly informative update, letting listeners catch up fast on the day’s pivotal stories.

Transcript

[Lisa Brady]

Optimism on Wall Street. Lisa Brady, Fox News. The Dow up more than 1100 points at the bell after reports of Iran's president saying his country has the will to end the conflict and President Trump suggesting he may be willing to end it even if the Strait of Hormuz is not fully reopened. Though for now, the fighting continues as

[Pete Hegseth]

Operation Epic Fury moves into its fifth week in Iran. Intelligence shows US And Israeli strikes are damaging the Iranian military's morale, leading to

[Lisa Brady]

widespread desertions, key personnel shortages and causing frustrations amongst senior leaders.

[Pete Hegseth]

U.S. secretary of War Pete Hegseth says the overwhelming destructive power should be influencing the emerging replacement leaders of Iran with whom the Trump administration has been communicating

[Lisa Brady]

this new regime because regime change has occurred, should be wiser than the last.

[Pete Hegseth]

Hegseth adds no military options have been ruled out and the president intends to keep up the pressure.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Evan Brown, the Wall Street Journal just reporting a third US Aircraft carrier is sent to the Middle East. Three losses for the president today in court. One federal judge just ordering construction of the new White House ballroom to stop, granting a preservationist group's request for a preliminary injunction. Although enforcement of the order is suspended and an appeal expected. The judge says congressional approval is needed for the project. The president just defending the ballroom in a post suggesting other projects should be sued. Another judge rules legal status must be reinstated for for migrants who entered the US Under a Biden era app. And a third says the president's order to end federal funding of public broadcasting is unlawful. NASA counting down to a key launch tomorrow, sending four astronauts around the moon.

[Jeff Spaulding]

People are excited and ready to go

[Lisa Brady]

on this first chapter on our way back to the moon since the 1970s. Senior test director Jeff Spaulding on the scheduled 10 day Artemis 2 mission. America is listening to Fox News.

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[Jeff Spaulding]

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[Epglis Advertisement Narrator]

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[Lisa Brady]

An Ohio jury is deadlocked in a corruption case against two fired First Energy executives.

[Jeff Manasso]

Jurors in Akron telling a judge they can't reach a verdict in the trial of former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and former senior VP Michael Dowling, both charged with felony corruption, bribery, conspiracy and theft for paying millions of dollars for legislative and regulatory favors. The defense argued the payment represented an above board legal settlement for FirstEnergy had already admitted to underwriting tens of millions of dollars in which now imprisoned a former Ohio House speaker, Larry Householder. Elected allies secured power and passed a bailout bill, then used a campaign to defend it from a citizen referendum.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Jeff Manasso, the judge is now considering a mistrial. Several others in the case pleaded guilty. Two of the people charged died by suicide. There's a nationwide recall of chocolate spiked with Viagra ingredients.

[Kristin Goodwin / Ainsley Earhart]

The Food and Drug Administration revealing gear Isle, a California based adult company, recalled two of its chocolate products found to contain undeclared and potentially life threatening amounts of prescription drug ingredients for erectile dysfunction. The agency says the chocolates are sold as dietary supplements which it does not approve, meaning they fall under less strict federal regulation. To date, Gir Isle has not received any reports of adverse events, but the FDA says ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs and may cause a significant drop in blood pressure, urging folks who have used the products to contact a doctor if they experience any problems that could be related. Kristin Goodwin, Fox News Recapping stocks the

[Lisa Brady]

month and the quarter ending with a big rally, The Dow up 1125 points back over 46,000. The S&P also gaining more than 2%. The Nasdaq up more than 3%, nearly 800 points at least of Brady. This is Fox News.

[Kristin Goodwin / Ainsley Earhart]

This is Ainsley Earhart. Thank you for joining me for the 52 episode podcast series the Life of

[Jeff Spaulding]

Jesus A Listening Experience that will provide

[Jeff Manasso]

hope, comfort and understanding of the greatest story ever told. Listen and follow [e-mail] or wherever you listen to podcasts.