Fox News Hourly Update – 7AM ET 01/27/2026

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This episode of the Fox News Hourly Update centers on escalating political and social tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in Minnesota, fallout from a recent controversial shooting of a protester, major updates on unrest in Iran, continued impacts from severe winter storms across the U.S., and President Trump’s campaign plans ahead of the midterm elections. The episode also briefly touches on financial news, sports highlights, and Republican infighting.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Leadership Change in Minnesota’s Immigration Operations

• Controversial Shooting Drives Change:
  • After Saturday’s shooting of protester Alex Preddy in Minnesota, President Trump appoints Tom Holman, his border czar, to lead immigration enforcement in the state, replacing Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bevino.
    • "[President Trump] has put Tom Holman, his border czar, in charge of immigration enforcement operations there."
      — Dave Anthony [00:07]
  • Bevino, the previous face of the operation, returns to his post as sector chief in El Centro, California.
    • "Bevino is now return to be sector chief in El Centro, California and other Border Patrol agents are leaving as well."
      — Unidentified Reporter [00:26]

2. Political Reactions and Fallout

• Minnesota Leadership Responds:
  • President Trump claims "constructive calls" with Minnesota officials; Governor Walz demands impartial investigations into the shootings and fewer federal agents.
    • "I told him we need impartial investigations of the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents and that we need to reduce the number of federal agents in Minnesota."
      — Governor Walz, reported by Matt Finn [00:49]
• Republican Defection:
  • Chris Mattle, a Republican gubernatorial candidate and defense attorney, drops out due to opposition to Operation Metro Surge and the federal crackdown.
    • "I cannot support the national Republican stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so."
      — Chris Mattle [02:48]
  • Mattle labels the operation an "unmitigated disaster" and notes Republican prospects in Minnesota are now dim.
    • "He says it's nearly impossible now for a Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota."
      — Chris Foster [03:08]

3. Ongoing Protests and Government Crackdowns

• Iran Protests and Human Rights Concerns:
  • Human rights groups report over 6,000 deaths in the Iranian government’s crackdown on protests, though the actual total may be higher.
    • "At least 6,126 people were killed in the Iranian government's CR crackdown on protests... but the group warns the true total may be higher still."
      — Jonathan Savage [00:57]
  • Protests were sparked by economic conditions; Iran’s currency hits a record low.

4. Severe Weather Aftermath in the U.S.

• Winter Storm Impact:
  • Over half a million remain without power after snow and ice hit 18 states, with significant outages in Nashville.
    • "There are still more than a half million power outages, many in the Nashville area..."
      — Dave Anthony [01:28]
  • Crews struggle with dangerous conditions as falling trees continually damage infrastructure.
    • "We've had some crews that put a pole up yesterday and as they were driving out, another tree fell behind them and broke a pole behind them. So they had to start right back over."
      — Mike Diggs, Middle Tennessee Electric [01:41]
  • Airline disruptions continue, with 1,300 additional cancellations.

5. Election Campaigns and Presidential Movements

• President Trump’s Itinerary:
  • He plans to visit near Des Moines, Iowa, to make a speech on affordability and the economy, part of weekly campaign events ahead of the midterms.
    • "He will be making a local visit at a local business and then he will be giving a speech on affordability and on the economy."
      — Caroline Levitt, White House Spokeswoman [03:29]
  • Polling cited shows Trump’s approval at 39–42%, lower than his ratings before Republicans lost the House in 2018.
    • "Recent polling has the president's approval rating anywhere between 39 and about 42% depending on the poll."
      — Jessica Rosenthal [03:44]

6. Economic & Sports Updates

• Federal Reserve Watch:
  • Markets eye this week’s Fed meeting; no interest rate cut expected following three cuts last year. Trump remains critical of the Fed’s caution.
    • "The president thinks they were too small and too late."
      — Dave Anthony [04:17]
• Australian Open:
  • Carlos Alcaraz and Elina Svitolina advance to the tennis semifinals, with Svitolina defeating American Coco Gauff.

Notable Quotes

• "President Trump has put Tom Holman, his border czar, in charge..." — Dave Anthony [00:07]
• "We need impartial investigations of the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents and that we need to reduce the number of federal agents in Minnesota." — Gov. Walz (via Matt Finn) [00:49]
• "At least 6,126 people were killed in the Iranian government's... crackdown on protests... the true total may be higher." — Jonathan Savage [00:57]
• "We've had some crews that put a pole up yesterday and as they were driving out, another tree fell behind them and broke a pole behind them. So they had to start right back over." — Mike Diggs [01:41]
• "I cannot support the national Republican stated retribution on the citizens of our state." — Chris Mattle [02:48]
• "He will be making a local visit at a local business and then he will be giving a speech on affordability and on the economy..." — Caroline Levitt [03:29]
• "Recent polling has the president's approval rating anywhere between 39 and about 42% depending on the poll." — Jessica Rosenthal [03:44]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:03 – Leadership changes in Minnesota after protester shooting
• 00:39 – Minnesota officials demand impartial investigations
• 00:54 – Update on deadly Iran protests; economic fallout
• 01:28 – Power outages and storm impact in 18 states
• 01:47 – Utility worker describes storm response
• 02:41 – Republican candidate drops out over immigration crackdown
• 03:22 – President Trump’s Iowa trip and campaign focus
• 03:44 – Trump’s approval rating and election context
• 04:03 – Federal Reserve meeting and economic overview
• 04:22 – Australian Open tennis results

This summary captures the central stories and direct language from Fox News’ 7AM ET update, giving listeners a thorough understanding of the political, economic, and social events shaping the news cycle for January 27, 2026.