5AM ET 01/04/2026 Newscast

Summary

---

Fox News Hourly Update – 5AM ET, January 4, 2026

Main Theme

This episode delivers urgent breaking news on the stunning U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, their subsequent detention in New York, and the international and domestic fallout. The newscast also covers dramatic U.S. involvement in overseeing Venezuela post-operation, White House reaction, and a high-profile legal resignation in Wisconsin.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Military Operation Captures Nicolás Maduro

• Details of the Operation

  • Debra Valentine reports ([00:03]): Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife have been captured by U.S. forces and are now detained at Manhattan Detention Center in Brooklyn, following a daring, multi-pronged overnight operation.
  • General Dan Kane, Joint Chiefs Chairman ([00:16]):

    “That led to their capture by air, land and sea. US Forces took out military targets in Venezuela overnight.”

  • Unnamed Military Analyst ([00:23]):

    “This was an audacious operation that only the United States could do.”

• Intelligence Work Behind the Raid

  • General Dan Kane ([00:29]): Explains the complexity and months of intelligence gathering involved, including tracking all aspects of Maduro's life.

    “…Find Maduro and understand how he moved, where he lived, where he traveled, what he ate, what he wore, what were his pets.” ([00:39])

• Indictments & U.S. Charges

  • General Dan Kane ([00:50]): Maduro and his wife face multi-count indictments for narco-terrorism conspiracy.
  • Arrainment Set: Scheduled for Monday ([00:59]).

---

2. International Response & U.S. Positioning

• UN Secretary-General’s Concern

  • Antonio Guterres ([01:04]): Voices concern over possible violations of international law and notes Venezuela’s demand for an emergency UN Security Council meeting.

• Geopolitical Tensions

  • Russia and China, as UN Security Council members, expected to back Venezuela. Russia insists Maduro remains the legitimate leader.
  • U.S. Ambassador Mike Walsh ([01:37]): Denies it's regime change and frames the capture as criminal justice:

    “This is not regime change, this is justice. Maduro was an indicted illegitimate dictator that led a declared narco-terrorism organization responsible for killing American citizens. I commend our brilliant military and law enforcement operators.” ([01:43])

---

3. U.S. Announces Administration of Venezuela

• President Trump’s Statement

  • Debra Valentine ([02:39]): President Trump says the U.S. will run Venezuela “for now” and plans to rebuild its oil infrastructure.
  • Unnamed Military Analyst ([02:52]): Details on U.S. oil companies’ plans:

    “We're going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure and start making money for the country.” ([02:52])

• Handling Venezuelan Opposition & Transition

  • Jackie Heinrich ([03:16]): President Trump dismisses the opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, as lacking support or respect inside Venezuela.
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio is coordinating with the current (Maduro-appointed) vice president, who is open to whatever the U.S. deems necessary.

    “She is effectively willing to do whatever it takes, whatever the US Believes is necessary to make Venezuela great again.” ([03:39])

  • U.S. promises an eventual "proper and judicious transition of power." ([03:47])

---

4. Wisconsin Judge Resignation Amid Immigration Controversy

• Resignation of Judge Hannah Dugan
  • Matt Murphy ([04:00]): Details on Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan resigning following her conviction for felony obstruction—helping a Mexican immigrant evade federal agents.

    “Prosecutors say Dugan helped a Mexican immigrant evade arrest last April by distracting federal agents outside her courtroom and escorting the man out through a private door.” ([04:02])

  • Republicans began impeachment proceedings; President Trump cited the case in his immigration agenda; Democrats called the prosecution politicized.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• General Dan Kane on unique U.S. capability:

  “This was an audacious operation that only the United States could do.” ([00:23])

• UN Ambassador Mike Walsh reframing intervention:

  “This is not regime change, this is justice. Maduro was an indicted illegitimate dictator…” ([01:43])

• Military Analyst on U.S. oil interests:

  “We're going to have our very large United States oil companies…the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure…” ([02:52])

• Jackie Heinrich on U.S. approach to Venezuelan transition:

  “The U.S. will control Venezuela until a proper and judicious transition of power.” ([03:47])

---

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:03–01:00 — Breaking news: Maduro’s capture; operation details; U.S. indictments
• 01:00–01:50 — International reactions: UN, Russia, China, U.S. statement
• 02:39–03:47 — U.S. plans for Venezuela: administration, oil infrastructure, transition preparation
• 04:00–04:35 — Wisconsin Judge Dugan's resignation and political fallout

---

Conclusion

This episode provides an explosive account of the overnight U.S. operation leading to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, the swift U.S. move to administer Venezuela and restore its oil sector, and mounting international frictions. The episode also covers a significant judicial resignation in an ongoing immigration controversy, illustrating the knock-on political implications inside the U.S.

Listeners get a rapid-fire but thorough overview of unfolding global and domestic events straight from the Fox News team.

Transcript

[Debra Valentine]

Detained in New York, I'm Debra Valentine, Fox News. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife are held at the Manhattan Detention center in Brooklyn, New York following a daring US Military operation in Venezuela overnight Saturday.

[General Dan Kane]

That led to their capture by air, land and sea. US Forces took out military targets in Venezuela overnight.

[Unnamed Military Analyst]

This was an audacious operation that only the United States could do.

[General Dan Kane]

General Dan Kane, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says the operation that included a raid of the home of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife took months of intelligence work to.

[Unnamed Military Analyst]

Find Maduro and understand how he moved, where he lived, where he traveled, what he ate, what he wore, what were his pets.

[General Dan Kane]

Maduro and his wife are facing multi count indictments accused of narco terrorism conspiracy. At the White House, Jared Halpern, FOX News.

[Debra Valentine]

Arraignment is reportedly set for Monday. The international community reacting to the capture.

[Antonio Guterres]

Of the Maduro's secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern that international law may not have been followed. And we know Venezuela for its part has asked for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. Permanent Security council members, China, Russia are expected to support that. Russia also doubled down calling Nicolas Maduro a legitimately elected leader. But U.S. ambassador to the U.N. mike Walsh saying Maduro is anything but waltz wrote on X this is not regime change, this is justice. Maduro was an indicted illegitimate dictator that led a declared narco terrorism organization responsible for killing American citizens. I commend our brilliant military and law enforcement operators.

[Debra Valentine]

That's Fox's CB Cotton reporting from New York City. America's listening to FOX News.

[Netsuite by Oracle Announcer]

Every business is asking the same question, how do we make AI work for us? No more waiting with Netsuite by Oracle. You can put AI to work today. NetSuite is the one AI cloud ERP trusted by over 43,000 businesses. It's the unified suite that brings your financials, inventory, commerce, HR and CRM into a single source of truth. That connected data is what makes your AI smarter and helping you make fast decisions. Right now, get the business guide demystifying AI [e-mail] Fox.

[Debra Valentine]

President Trump says the U.S. will run Venezuela for now following the U.S. military's capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The president also says the US Will rebuild the country's oil infrastructure.

[Unnamed Military Analyst]

We're going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure and start making money for the country.

[Debra Valentine]

Fox's Jackie Heinrich has additional details on control of Venezuela following Maduro's capture.

[Jackie Heinrich]

The president was asked what about the opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, and President Trump said that he does not believe that she has the support or respect within the country to show up as its leader, and also revealed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in active talks with the sitting vice president of the country, who Maduro hand picked and installed, but said that she is effectively willing to do whatever it takes, whatever the US Believes is necessary to make Venezuela great again.

[Debra Valentine]

The president said the US Will control Venezuela until a proper and judicious transition of power. The Wisconsin judge who was convicted in a federal immigration case has formally tendered her resignation. Here's fox's Matt Murphy.

[Matt Murphy]

Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan has sent her resignation letter to the governor weeks after being convicted of felony obstruction. Prosecutors say Dugan helped a Mexican immigrant evade arrest last April by distracting federal agents outside her courtroom and escorting the man out through a private door. A jury convicted her Dec. 19, prompting Republicans to begin preparing impeachment proceedings. The case drew national attention with President Trump highlight as part of his immigration push, while Democrats called the prosecution politically motivated. Matt Murphy, FOX News I'm Deborah Valentine.

[Ainsley Earhart]

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

[Podcast Narrator]

Jesus, a listening experience that will provide hope, comfort and understanding of the greatest story ever told. Listen and follow [e-mail] or wherever you listen to podcasts.