4PM ET 07/29/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update — 4PM ET 07/29/2026 Newscast

Host: FOX News Podcasts (Alisa Brady)
Date: July 29, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode spotlights breaking U.S. and international political developments, economic updates, and major policy decisions. Top stories include President Trump’s comments on Iran and U.S. military actions in the Middle East, a heated congressional hearing with Dr. Anthony Fauci, significant stock market volatility in response to the Federal Reserve’s decisions, federal court rulings on Wisconsin absentee ballots, and the announcement of new nuclear waste storage agreements.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump on Iran Strikes and Middle East Tensions

• U.S. Response to Attempted Attack in Jordan
  • After a pause in strikes, President Trump vows a forceful response following an attempted overnight attack on U.S. forces.
  • Quote: "We're going to be hitting them very hard because it's our turn to hit them. They know it's coming. They're asking us not to do it." — President Trump [00:15]
• Military Activity
  • Recently, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia launched strikes in Iraq targeting Iran-backed militias.
  • President Trump describes five rockets being shot down (traveling at "8,500 miles an hour"), emphasizing U.S. defenses’ effectiveness.
  • Despite military posturing, Trump signals openness to a future diplomatic deal.
• Situation in Egypt
  • Trump has been briefed on drone strikes at an Egyptian port, causing fires on two natural gas vessels — alleged to be retaliation or spillover from regional tensions.

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2. Dr. Anthony Fauci Faces Congressional Hearing

• Fauci Pleads the Fifth
  • Dr. Fauci repeatedly invokes his Fifth Amendment right in response to questions about the origin of COVID-19 and U.S. government funding of research in China.
  • Quote: "Anthony Fauci not answering questions based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment..." — Dr. Anthony Fauci [01:02]
• Political Fireworks
  • Republicans, led by Sen. Rand Paul, accuse Fauci of responsibility for a "man made COVID-19 epidemic" and suggest NIH funded Chinese labs.
    • Quote: "To many Americans who lost family members, who lost trust in our federal government, you're not a hero, unfortunately, you're a villain." — Sen. Rand Paul [01:14]
  • Democrats defend Fauci, calling the hearing part of a broader attack on science (Sen. Richard Blumenthal).
• Tense Proceedings
  • Fauci’s attorney is ejected for attempting to intervene during the hearing.
  • The committee considers holding Fauci in contempt and disputes his rights following a preemptive pardon from President Biden.

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3. Major Market Moves: Wall Street Sell-Off

• Stock Market Reacts to Fed Meeting
  • The Dow drops 1,152 points at closing, hitting session lows amid uncertainty about Federal Reserve actions.
  • The Federal Reserve leaves its benchmark interest rate unchanged for the fifth consecutive meeting, despite inflation remaining above their 2% target.
    • Quote: "We have begun a new chapter and we understand that the five plus years of inflation above target cannot be cured in nine weeks or by a single month of modest price decreases." — Fed Chair Kevin Warsh [03:50]
• Internal Fed Disagreement
  • Warsh notes the decision vote was not unanimous (9 to 3), suggesting internal debate about policy direction.
• Further Economic Data
  • Anticipation for the latest reading on the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, due out tomorrow.

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4. U.S. Political and Legal Updates

Wisconsin Ballot Ruling

• Absentee Ballot Issue
  • A Wisconsin judge rules that voters who have already mailed in primary absentee ballots cannot void them and submit new ones.
  • The decision is setback for Democrats seeking a “do-over” after a chaotic party primary; an appeal is ongoing. [02:32]

Nuclear Waste Storage & Energy Expansion

• Five-State Agreement
  • Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Utah, and Idaho agree to host sites for nuclear waste in exchange for federal investments in new nuclear energy facilities, potentially creating thousands of jobs.
    • Quote: "The US Government will aid those states in developing nuclear power plants... with the advent of artificial intelligence and the need for so called data centers..." — Eben Brown [03:06]
  • This follows President Trump's plan to quadruple U.S. nuclear energy production to meet surging power needs.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• President Trump on U.S. Strikes:
  "We're going to be hitting them very hard because it's our turn to hit them." [00:15]

• Rand Paul Confronts Fauci:
  "To many Americans... you're not a hero, unfortunately, you're a villain." [01:14]

• Fed Chair Kevin Warsh on Economic Outlook:
  "We have begun a new chapter... above target cannot be cured in nine weeks..." [03:50]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• U.S. Strikes on Iran & Jordan Attack Response: 00:03–00:33
• Fauci Congressional Hearing: 00:59–01:36
• Wisconsin Absentee Ballot Ruling: 02:32–03:06
• Nuclear Waste & Energy Agreement: 03:06–03:39
• Federal Reserve Announcement & Market Reaction: 03:39–04:28

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Episode Tone & Style

The episode maintains an urgent, fast-paced tone, typical for a news update. The reporting is direct, with clear attributions, and features pointed political exchanges showcasing ongoing partisan divides, especially over national security and pandemic accountability.

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This summary encapsulates the major developments and noteworthy moments of the Fox News Hourly Update at 4PM ET, July 29, 2026, delivering the top stories and direct quotes from key figures for listeners who missed the broadcast.

Transcript

[Alisa Brady]

The president doubles down. Alisa Brady, FOX News. After pausing US Strikes on Iran for several days, President Trump is signaling there will be a response to an attempted attack overnight on US Forces in Jordan.

[President Trump]

We're going to be hitting them very hard because it's our turn to hit them. They know it's coming. They're asking us not to do it.

[Alisa Brady]

Just telling reporters in the Oval office

[President Trump]

we had five rockets shot going 8,500 miles an hour and all five rockets were knocked down to the ground, but they nevertheless took a shot,

[Alisa Brady]

though also saying a deal is still possible at some point. The US And Saudi Arabia launching strikes earlier in Iraq targeting Iran backed militias. President Trump also says he's been briefed on an incident in Egypt where a British maritime security firm says drone strikes sparked fires on two natural gas vessels at an Egyptian port. A contentious hearing for the man who helped lead the Nation's Covid response, Dr.

[Dr. Anthony Fauci]

Anthony Fauci not answering questions based upon

[Rand Paul]

my rights under the Fifth Amendment over

[Dr. Anthony Fauci]

what Homeland Security Committee chair Republican Rand Paul says was a man made COVID 19 epidemic from a lab in China that he says NIH through Dr. Fauci funded.

[Rand Paul]

To many Americans who lost family members, who lost trust in our federal government, you're not a hero, unfortunately, you're a villain.

[Dr. Anthony Fauci]

Florida Senator Republican Rick Scott as Democrats, including Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal call the hearing the campaign to vilify you, Dr. Fauci is just one part of this larger campaign against science. Fauci's attorney also removed from the hearing after repeatedly attempting to intervene.

[Alisa Brady]

Fox's Jeff Benasso. The committee is planning a vote on holding Foushee in contempt, questioning his Fifth Amendment rights after a preemptive pardon from President Biden. A sell off on Wall street. The Dow down 1152 points at the bell, hitting session lows after briefly paring losses earlier as the Fed meeting wrapped up. America is listening to FOX News.

[UnitedHealth Group Representative]

Across the country, UnitedHealth Group is working with local partners to build healthier communities every day. That includes helping partners like the good acre provide 45,000 meals and lower A1C in the twin Cities and helping hello Family doulas deliver 44% fewer underweight births in Spartanburg because building healthier communities starts by giving people access to the care and services they need to live healthier lives. Learn [e-mail] commitment in a court fight

[Alisa Brady]

over ballots, a judge in Wisconsin rules voters who have already returned their absentee ballots for the state's primary are not allowed to void those and request a new one. The ruling deals a blow to Democrats who filed a lawsuit seeking to give voters a do over because of a chaotic party primary in the Wisconsin governor's race. That court fight, however, can continue with an appeal. Five states agree to accept nuclear waste from around the country in exchange for federal help developing new nuclear energy sites, potentially creating thousands of jobs.

[Eben Brown]

Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Utah and Idaho will agree to host storage sites for the country's nuclear waste in exchange for taking on the radioactive spent nuclear fuel. The US Government will aid those states in developing nuclear power plants. The announcement comes as President Trump plans to quadruple U.S. nuclear energy production due to increased power demands. With the advent of artificial intelligence and the need for so called data centers, will likely need to approve and fund the initiative. Eben Brown, FOX News.

[Alisa Brady]

The Fed is holding off on interest rate action, leaving its benchmark rate unchanged for the fifth meeting in a row even though inflation is still running over the central bank's 2% target.

[Rand Paul]

We have begun a new chapter and we understand that the five plus years of inflation above target cannot be cured in nine weeks or by a single month of modest price decreases.

[Alisa Brady]

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh says today's discussion was robust and the vote was not unanimous. Nine to three tomorrow, the latest reading on the Fed's preferred inflation gauge is due out. So the Dow was down more than 900 earlier in the session, then pared some losses before finishing down more than 2% over 1100 points. The NASDAQ plummeting more than 400. And Lisa Brady, this is Fox News.

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