5PM ET 01/02/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 5PM ET 01/02/2026 Newscast

Host: John Saucier (FOX News)
Date: January 2, 2026

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Episode Overview

This Fox News Hourly Update delivers a fast-paced summary of the day’s top news, focusing on rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran, a foiled terror plot in North Carolina, a child murder case, fraud allegations involving Minnesota daycare centers, and political developments in New York and Seattle’s mayoral offices.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions and Nationwide Protests

• [00:02] John Saucier reports President Trump has threatened intervention in Iran, as anti-government protests flare in 27 cities.
• [00:13] Lucas Tomlinson provides context from West Palm Beach:
  • Trump’s warning to Iran’s regime:

    “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
    – President Trump (as relayed by Lucas Tomlinson, 00:20)

  • At least 6 protester deaths reported.
  • Protests began with merchants in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, expanded to include students, truckers, bus drivers.
  • Triggered by:
    • Runaway inflation.
    • 40% drop in currency value (since Israel’s 12-day war, reportedly supported by American B2 bombers, stealth fighters, Tomahawk missiles).
• [00:58] Iran's President blames economic troubles on conflict with “the West, Israel, the United States, and Europe.”

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2. Foiled Terror Plot in North Carolina

• [01:10] Reports of an 18-year-old, Christian Sturdevant, arrested for plotting a New Year’s Eve attack on a grocery store.
• The FBI says the suspect, believing he was speaking with ISIS militants online, was actually communicating with undercover agents.
• Rush Ferguson (Attorney, Western District of North Carolina) details:

  “He said he was going to wear a Kevlar vest and attack people with knives and hammers. And of course he talked about when he was going to carry out this attack, which was New Year’s Eve.”
  – Rush Ferguson (01:20)

• Sturdevant is in federal custody—faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

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3. Child Murder Case

• [01:34] Coverage of Sharon Sekoulis, a mother charged in the death of her three-year-old daughter, Cassidy, on New Year’s Eve.
• Details:
  • Officers found Cassidy unresponsive; taken to hospital, pronounced dead.
  • Prosecutors allege visible bruising, admit mother confessed to suffocating the child with a plastic bag.
  • Sekoulis issued a $2 million bond.

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4. Daycare Fraud Scandal in Minnesota

• [02:31] Ongoing federal probe into alleged multimillion-dollar fraud by Minneapolis daycare centers.
• Trisha McLaughlin (DHS Public Affairs Asst. Sec.) claims Trump administration prioritizes the case, blames Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
• [02:56] McLaughlin states:

  “Tim Walz was either complicit or completely buried his head in the sand. If he knew that there was crime and fraud this rampant. He should be welcoming the Trump administration, calling on the FBI, calling on Homeland Security investigators to come in and investigate. Instead, he’s making it politics as usual.”
  – Trisha McLaughlin (02:56)

• Upcoming House Oversight Committee hearing set for next week.
• Walz’s office counters, stating he has “been cracking down on fraudsters for years,” accuses President Trump of politicizing the issue.

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5. Political Controversies in New York City and Seattle

• [03:34] New York City’s mayoral transition:
  • Mayor Zoran Mamdani (Democratic Socialist) accused by National Jewish Advocacy Center of removing anti-Semitism posts from predecessor Eric Adams.
  • Mamdani’s office says posts are being archived and maintains a commitment against anti-Semitism.
  • Notably, Mamdani faces backlash for refusing to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada” and vows to detain Israel’s Prime Minister as a war criminal if he visits NYC.
• [04:03] Seattle’s new mayor, Katie Wilson (also a Democratic Socialist), delivers an inclusive inauguration speech:

  “This is your city and as your mayor I will work every single day to make that not just a phrase but a living reality. This is your city. That means that you belong here. You have a right to be here and to live a dignified life whatever your background and whatever your income.”
  – Katie Wilson (04:03)

• [04:20] Closing note: John Saucier draws a connection between Wilson and Mamdani’s shared political identity.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Trump’s Warning to Iran

  “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
  – President Trump (via Lucas Tomlinson, 00:21)

• North Carolina Terror Plot Prosecutor

  “He said he was going to wear a Kevlar vest and attack people with knives and hammers.”
  – Rush Ferguson (01:20)

• Trisha McLaughlin on Minnesota Daycare Fraud

  “…complicit or completely buried his head in the sand… instead, he’s making it politics as usual.”
  – Trisha McLaughlin (02:56)

• Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s Inauguration

  “…you belong here. You have a right to be here and to live a dignified life whatever your background and whatever your income.”
  – Katie Wilson (04:03)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:02 — Iran Protests, Trump’s warning
• 00:58 — Iran’s economic blame, transition to domestic terrorism headline
• 01:10 — North Carolina grocery terror plot
• 01:34 — Ohio child murder case
• 02:31 — Minnesota daycare fraud investigation
• 03:14 — Political responses to daycare scandal
• 03:34 — NYC mayoral controversy
• 04:03 — Seattle mayoral inauguration

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Tone:
The reporting maintains Fox News’ urgent, headline-driven, and politically charged style, with clear attributions and pointed commentary, particularly on issues involving political leadership and law enforcement.

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Transcript

[A]

President Trump threatening Iran. I'm John Saucier, FOX News. Nationwide protests in Iran have now reached 27 different cities. The United States could get involved. Fox's Lucas Tomlinson's in West Palm Beach.

[B]

Florida, whose protesters have the support from President Trump who fired off this warning to Iran's regime. Quote, if Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter. At least six people have been reportedly killed in the protest this week. It started among shopkeepers and merchants in Tehran's Grand Bazaar. Students have now taken to the streets with truckers and bus drivers protesting runaway inflation, a currency that has lost 40% of its value since Israel launched its 12 day war. Supported by those American B2 bombers, Stealth Fighter jets and Tomahawk cruise missiles fighting fired from the guided missile submarine USS Georgia out to sea.

[A]

Iran's president blames his country's economy on its war with the West, Israel, the United States and Europe. Investigators say they stopped a New Year's Eve terror attack at a grocery store in North Carolina. The FBI says the suspect thought he was talking to ISIS militants online, but instead it was undercover officers. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina is rushed Ferguson. He said he was going to wear a Kevlar vest and attack people with knives and hammers. And of course he talked about when he was going to carry out this attack, which was New Year's Eve. The suspect is an 18 year old Christian Sturdevant, now in federal custody, facing maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted and a mother charged with the murder and her death of a three year old daughter on New Year's Eve. Sharon Sekoulis was in court today issued a $2 million cash surety bond. Officers found 3 year old Cassidy unresponsive. She was taken to a nationwide children's hospital, pronounced dead. Prosecutors stated the victim had visible signs of bruising. And the muttered mother that is admitted to putting a plastic bag over the child's head. America's listening to FOX News.

[C]

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[A]

Federal investigators continuing to probe the alleged fraud scheme in Minnesota, where daycare centers in Minneapolis allegedly were committing millions of dollars worth of fraud. DHS Public Affairs Assistant Secretary Trisha McLaughlin says the entire Trump administration is committed to getting to the bottom of what happened, adding a top priority for both the president and his team. She tells Fox News Channel she believes Minnesota's Governor Tim Walz is either complicit in the scandal or making it about politics.

[D]

Tim Walls was either complicit or completely buried his head in the sand. If he knew that there was crime and fraud this rampant. He should be welcoming the Trump administration, calling on the FBI, calling on Homeland Security investigators to come in and investigate. Instead, he's making it politics as usual.

[A]

The House Oversight Committee scheduled a hearing about the scandal next week. Governor Wallace's office responding in a statement saying the governor has been cracking down on fraudsters for years and that President Trump is the one politicizing the issue. The next mayor of New York stirring up a little controversy. The National Jewish Advocacy center is accusing Mayor Zoran Mamdani of removing two posts from outgoing Mayor Eric Adams that focused on combating anti Semitism. Mamdani's office claims the deleted posts are in the process of being archived and he remains committed to ridding New York City of anti Semitism. The 35 year old Democratic socialist garnering significant backlash for refusing to condemn the phrase globalize the intifada. The Muslim mayor also vowed to arrest Israeli prime minister as a war criminal if he travels to New York City. They have a new mayor in Seattle as well. She is Katie Wilson, sworn into office during a public ceremony at City Hall.

[D]

This is your city and as your mayor I will work every single day to make that not just a phrase but a living reality. This is your city. That means that you belong here. You have a right to be here and to live a dignified life whatever your background and whatever your income.

[A]

Wilson similar to Mom Donny, a self described democratic socialist. I'm John Saucier and this is Fox News.

[D]

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

[A]

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