5AM ET 02/28/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 5AM ET 02/28/2026 Newscast

Host: Chris DiMaio (FOX News Podcasts)
Date: February 28, 2026

Overview

This episode centers on breaking developments in the escalating U.S.-Iran-Israel conflict, with President Trump confirming joint military strikes against Iran, as well as updates on the ongoing investigation surrounding former President Bill Clinton's ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The episode also covers evolving dynamics in the Texas U.S. Senate race and reactions from Republican leadership.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. and Israel Launch Joint Strikes Against Iran

• Breaking News Announcement

  • President Trump confirms in a video on Truth Social that U.S. and Israeli forces are currently conducting joint military operations targeting Iran.
  • The stated goal: “eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”

    "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people."
    — Donald Trump ([00:12])

• Nuclear Concerns

  • Trump reaffirms a longstanding policy priority: preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

    "It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon."
    — Donald Trump ([00:30])

• Details on the Operation

  • Jennifer Griffin elaborates:
    • The operation is “the beginning of a long operation,” not just a “pinpoint strike.”
    • Multiple sites targeted across Iran, including inside Tehran, regime headquarters, and suspected nuclear-related sites near Qom and Bushehr.

    "There are dozens of sites within Tehran targeting regime headquarters, including the president's office as well as other leaders themselves. ... Explosions in places that you would expect to see near Qom in Bushehr where there's a nuclear reactor."
    — Jennifer Griffin ([00:43])

• Immediate Fallout

  • Iranian missiles reportedly launched toward Israel; Israel's defense minister declares a state of emergency.
  • Prime Minister Netanyahu states the operation is meant to provide “the conditions for the Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands.”
  • All U.S. government employees and families in Israel ordered to shelter in place.

Key Segment: U.S. and Israel Strike Iran

• [00:03]–[01:27]: Breaking news on the joint operation, background, and official statements.

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2. Jeffrey Epstein Investigation: Bill Clinton Testimony

• Congressional Deposition

  • Former President Bill Clinton testifies behind closed doors for over six hours regarding his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

• Flight Records and Denials

  • Clinton admits to flying on Epstein’s private plane “roughly two dozen times” as part of Clinton Foundation philanthropic work.
  • Clinton’s video statement:

    "Not only would I not have flown on his plane, if I had any inkling of what he was doing, I would have turned him in myself and led the call for justice for his crimes."
    — Bill Clinton ([03:15])

• Ongoing Congressional Oversight

  • House Oversight Chair James Comer pledges to “bring some more people in and try to get answers.”
  • Video testimonies from both Bill and Hillary Clinton are expected to be released in upcoming days; Hillary Clinton states she does not plan to testify again.

Key Segment: Clinton-Epstein Testimony

• [02:40]–[03:38]: Details on testimony, statements, and Congress’s next steps.

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3. Texas U.S. Senate Race and Republican Endorsements

• President Trump's Stance

  • At a Corpus Christi rally, Trump criticizes Democrats and connects the economic situation to Democratic leadership.
  • He hints at—but withholds—endorsements for candidates in the competitive Texas Republican primary.

• GOP Infighting and Risks

  • Texas Senator John Cornyn concerned about the potential for a divisive runoff, which could jeopardize the GOP seat if Attorney General Ken Paxton is on the general election ballot.

  • Democrats reportedly see a growing opportunity to flip the seat blue in the general election.

    "The Democrats are crazy and Republicans have to win the midterms to continue this work, lifting the country out of the inflation hole that he says the Democrats created."
    — Reported by Jackie Heinrich ([03:54])

Key Segment: Texas Senate Race

• [03:54]–[04:31]: On-the-ground insights into the Texas primary and Republican strategy.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|----------------|-------| | 00:12 | Donald Trump | "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people." | | 00:30 | Donald Trump | "It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon." | | 00:43 | Jennifer Griffin | "This is the beginning of a long operation... reports from inside Iran that there are dozens of sites within Tehran targeting regime headquarters..." | | 03:15 | Bill Clinton | "Not only would I not have flown on his plane, if I had any inkling of what he was doing, I would have turned him in myself and led the call for justice for his crimes." | | 03:54 | Jackie Heinrich (reporting) | "The Democrats are crazy and Republicans have to win the midterms to continue this work, lifting the country out of the inflation hole that he says the Democrats created." |

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Episode Structure & Timestamps

• [00:03]–[01:27]: U.S.-Israel joint strikes against Iran, official statements, and military updates
• [02:40]–[03:38]: Recap of the Iran story, Bill and Hillary Clinton Epstein depositions, congressional responses
• [03:54]–[04:31]: On-the-ground reporting—Trump's Texas visit, GOP endorsements, and risks for the Senate seat

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Note:
Non-essential segments (ads, network self-promotion, outro) omitted for clarity and focus on news content.

Transcript

[Chris DiMaio]

This is a FOX News alert. I'm Chris DiMaio, Fox News President Trump confirming in a video on Truth Social that the US And Israel are conducting joint strikes against Iran.

[Donald Trump]

Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people.

[Chris DiMaio]

The president reiterating his commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

[Donald Trump]

It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon.

[Chris DiMaio]

Fox's Jennifer Griffin has more on the strikes.

[Jennifer Griffin]

This is a joint U. S. Israeli operation and I'm told by U.S. officials that this is the beginning of a long operation. This is not a sort of pinpoint strike. What we're seeing now are reports from inside, inside Iran that there are dozens of sites within Tehran targeting regime headquarters, including the president's office as well as other leaders themselves. It is not clear who is carrying out those strikes, but this is a joint U.S. israel operation. And then we've seen there have been explosions in places that you would expect to see near Qom in Bushehr where there's a nuclear reactor. So there are strikes all over Iran.

[Chris DiMaio]

The Israeli military says missiles have been launched from Iran toward Israel. Israel's defense minister issuing a state of emergency. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issuing a statement. He says the U. S. Israel operation will create the conditions for the Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands. Meantime, all government employees and their family in Israel, all US Government employees and their family members have been directed to shelter in place until further notice. America's listening to Fox News.

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[Chris DiMaio]

recapping our top story, the US and Israel launching joint strikes on Iran. Explosions are taking place in Iran's capital of Tehran. Former President Bill Clinton speaking out after he went through a closed door deposition for more than six hours with members of Congress investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

[Shaw Lanchel]

Records show that the former president flew on Jeffrey Epstein's private plane roughly two dozen dozen times to aid in the philanthropic work of the Clinton Foundation. Former President Clinton denied any wrongdoing in that he didn't see Epstein doing anything wrong. But he said in a video posted on X late Friday, if he had,

[Donald Trump]

not only would I not have flown on his plane, if I had any inkling of what he was doing, I would have turned him in myself and led the call for justice for his

[Shaw Lanchel]

crimes, house Oversight Chair James Comer said after the deposition.

[Donald Trump]

We will continue to bring some more

[Jennifer Griffin]

people in and try to get answers.

[Shaw Lanchel]

Videos of depositions from both Bill and Hillary Clinton are expected to be released within days. In Washington, Shaw Lanchel, Fox News A

[Chris DiMaio]

former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton gave a deposition on Epstein on Thursday and said she doesn't plan to testify again. Well ahead of his visit to Texas yesterday, President Trump hinted at endorsements for a handful of Republican primary candidates in the race for U.S. senate.

[Jackie Heinrich]

President Trump told that crowd in Corpus Christi that the Democrats are crazy and Republicans have to win the midterms to continue this work, lifting the country out of the inflation hole that he says the Democrats created. But so far he has withheld his endorsement in the Texas primary as Democrats there eye a growing chance to flip the seat blue on the flight down. Texas Senator John Cornyn trying hard to avoid an ugly 10 week runoff in the three way primary between Attorney General Ken Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt. As Cornyn warns, Democrats would have a real shot at the seat if Paxton's on the ballot in the general election.

[Chris DiMaio]

That's Fox's Jackie Heinrich reporting from the White House. I'm Chris DiMeo.

[Jennifer Griffin]

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

[Chris DiMaio]

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.