7AM ET 02/04/2026 Newscast

Summary

---

Fox News Hourly Update – 7AM ET 02/04/2026

Episode Overview

The February 4, 2026, 7AM ET newscast delivers breaking headlines on the kidnapping of Savannah Guthrie’s mother, sentencing for a would-be Trump assassin, developments in US-Iran and US-Colombia relations, legislative standoffs on immigration, Trump’s continued 2020 election fraud claims, financial market movement, and major NBA trades. Anchored by Dave Anthony and Fox News correspondents, this episode covers both domestic and international news with concise, impactful reporting.

---

Key News Segments & Insights

1. Kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie (Savannah Guthrie’s Mother)

• [00:03] The investigation has shifted to a ransom scenario after the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, Nancy Guthrie, went missing Saturday night.
• Evidence & Authority Statements:
  • "We do believe that Nancy was taken from her home against her will. And that's where we're at." — Pima County, Arizona Sheriff Chris Nano
  • Signs indicate the 84-year-old may have come to harm.
• Ransom Demand Details:
  • "TMZ and a handful of local news stations say that they have received what they are calling ransom notes and they received those via email."
  • The notes demand millions in cryptocurrency for her safe return and reference information not publicly known.
  • The situation is ongoing outside the family home in Tucson.

2. Sentencing for Trump Assassination Attempt Convict

• [00:54] Ryan Ruth is to be sentenced after plan to assassinate Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club in September 2024.
• Dramatic Courtroom Developments:
  • "He represented himself at trial and tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen."
  • Ruth spent weeks planning but was intercepted when a Secret Service agent spotted him.
• Legal Consequences:
  • Ruth faces a possible life sentence.

3. US-Iran Relations: Nuclear Negotiations Amid Rising Tensions

• [01:15] President Trump confirms ongoing negotiations with Iran, despite a recent US shooting down of an Iranian drone:
  • "They are negotiating. They'd like to do something and we'll see if something is going to be."
• Contextual Background:
  • Reference to last year’s joint US-Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.

4. Government Funding & Immigration Reform Standoff

• [01:32] A partial US government shutdown is temporarily over; funding for Homeland Security is extended for two weeks.
• Democratic Response:
  • Chuck Schumer: "We expect to present to the Republicans a very serious, detailed proposal very shortly."
  • The standoff is fueled by Democratic demands for immigration enforcement reform amid protests following fatal ICE-involved shootings in Minneapolis.

5. 2020 Election Fraud Claims

• [02:04] President Trump reasserts his claim to have won the 2020 election:
  • "The federal government should get involved. These are agents of the federal government to count the votes."
• Democratic Counterpoint:
  • Democrats warn this threatens democracy and future elections.

6. US-Colombia Relations and Venezuela Update

• [02:31] Follow-up talks after the US raid that captured Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro. President Trump remarks on talks with Colombian President Gustavo Petro:
  • "He and I weren’t exactly the best of friends, but I wasn’t insulted because I never met him. I didn’t know him at all."
  • US and Colombia working on joint counter-narcotics initiative; Trump previously sanctioned Petro's family, accusing them of drug trafficking.
  • Light moment: Petro adds an "S" to a gifted MAGA cap to read “Make the Americas Great Again.”

7. Financial Markets & Major Sports Headlines

• [03:18] Stock futures are rising after an earlier market drop.
• Winter Olympics:
  • The games open in Italy with curling matches starting first.
• NBA Trades and Results:
  • [03:35] "The James Harden era in Los Angeles has come to a close." — Joe Morgan, reporting on Harden’s trade from the Clippers to the Cavaliers for Darius Garland.
  • Harden's career context: now on his 6th NBA team, averaging 25.4 points per game, his highest in six years.
  • [04:07] The New York Knicks notch their 7th consecutive win with a blowout vs. Washington, 132–101.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Guthrie Kidnapping:

  • "We do believe that Nancy was taken from her home against her will."
    — Sheriff Chris Nano, [00:14]
  • "The note... demanded millions in cryptocurrency for the safe return of Nancy Guthrie by a stated deadline."
    — Fox News Correspondent, [00:34]

• On the Trump Assassination Attempt:

  • "He represented himself at trial and tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen."
    — Dave Anthony, [00:58]

• On Iran Nuclear Talks:

  • "They are negotiating. They'd like to do something and we'll see if something is going to be."
    — Political Analyst, [01:29]

• On 2020 Election Claims:

  • "The federal government should get involved. These are agents of the federal government to count the votes."
    — Political Analyst, [02:25]
  • "Democrats warn that's a threat to democracy and future elections."
    — Fox News Anchor, [02:31]

• On US-Colombia Relations:

  • "He and I weren't exactly the best of friends, but I wasn't insulted because I never met him. I didn't know him at all."
    — President Trump, [02:45]

• On the James Harden Trade:

  • "Harden is in the middle of a very solid season scoring 25.4 points per game, which would be his highest average in six years. But he continues to not stay in one place for too long."
    — Joe Morgan, [03:45]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Guthrie Kidnapping Investigation – [00:03] to [00:47]
• Trump Assassination Attempt Sentencing – [00:54] to [01:15]
• US-Iran Negotiations & Tensions – [01:15] to [01:32]
• Government Shutdown & Immigration – [01:32] to [02:00]
• 2020 Election Claims & Democracy Warnings – [02:04] to [02:31]
• US-Colombia Relations & Venezuela Update – [02:31] to [03:18]
• Markets, Olympics, NBA Trades – [03:18] to [04:07]

---

Summary

This FOX News update covers a tense national mood, ranging from ongoing criminal investigations to global diplomatic maneuvers, domestic partisanship, and lively sports trades. Listeners are brought up to speed on developing stories and the key angles shaping current affairs, all in the network’s concise and direct style.

Transcript

[Dave Anthony]

Foreign.

[Fox News Anchor]

Guthrie being held for ransom. I'm Dave Anthony, FOX News. That is now a big part of the investigation, searching for the mother of the Today show host Savannah Guthrie, missing since Saturday night. We do believe that Nancy was taken from her home against her will. And that's where we're at. Pima County, Arizona Sheriff Chris Nano says evidence suggests the 84 year old may have been harmed.

[Fox News Correspondent]

TMZ and a handful of local news stations say that they have received what they are calling ransom notes and they received those via email. The note, they say demanded millions in cryptocurrency for the safe return of Nancy Guthrie by a stated deadline. They report the note contained specific information about the crime scene and Nancy that is not known to the public.

[Fox News Anchor]

Fox's Alicia Cunha outside the home in Tucson. It's sentencing day for the man convicted in the second Trump assassination attempt.

[Dave Anthony]

Ryan Ruth was convicted in September of planning to kill Donald Trump at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida on September 15, 2024. He represented himself at trial and tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen. In court when he was found guilty, prosecutors say Ruth spent weeks planning the assassination attempt, aiming a rifle through shrubbery. A Secret Service agent spotted Ruth before Trump came into view. The agent fired shots. Ruth ran and was caught.

[Fox News Anchor]

Fox's Chris Foster Ruth could get life in prison. President Trump says the talks are still on with Iran Friday with his special envoy Steve Woodkoff trying to rein in Iran's nuclear program despite the added tension of the US Shooting down an Iranian drone near an American Navy ship.

[Political Analyst]

They are negotiating. They'd like to do something and we'll see if something is going to be.

[Fox News Anchor]

Done to take action. Like last year when the US Joined Israel attacking Iran's nuclear facilities. The partial government shutdown's over after the president signed the funding bill Congress approved that only gives Homeland Security two weeks worth as Democrats demand immigration enforcement reform here. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. We expect to present to the Republicans a very serious, detailed proposal very shortly. This follows the angry anti ice protests in Minneapolis following recent deadly shootings. America's listening to FOX News.

[Fox News Correspondent]

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

[Fox News Anchor]

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. President Trump continues to claim that he won the 2020 election, that he lost to President Biden, alleging fraud in state counting the president wants Congress to take action.

[Political Analyst]

The federal government should get involved. These are agents of the federal government to count the votes.

[Fox News Anchor]

Democrats warn that's a threat to democracy and future elections. Also at the White House, a meeting a month after the raid in Venezuela that captured leader Nicolas Maduro, President Trump.

[Foreign Affairs Correspondent]

Says he and Colombian President Gustavo Petro got along very well.

[Political Analyst]

He and I weren't exactly the best of friends, but I wasn't insulted because I never met him. I didn't know him at all.

[Foreign Affairs Correspondent]

President Trump says the two leaders are working on an agreement to join forces on counter narcotic efforts. Last year, the Trump administration leveled sanctions on Petro's family, the president accusing Colombia's leader of drug trafficking. Petro says the two also talked about exporting Venezuelan gas and says he added an S to a MAGA cap gifted to him by President Trump to make the Americas great again. At the White House, Jared Halpern, Fox News.

[Fox News Anchor]

On Wall street, stock futures are rising the day after selling for the Dow and the Nasdaq. Let the games begin. The Winter Olympics start in a few hours in Italy with curling matches. The opening ceremony will be thrown. Some NBA players are changing teams and trades added tomorrow's deadline and this is getting the most attention.

[Sports Reporter]

The James Harden era in Los Angeles has come to a close. According to multiple reports, Harden is headed back to the Eastern Conference with the clippers sending the 11 time All Star to the Cavaliers for point guard Darius Garland. Harden is in the middle of a very solid season scoring 25.4 points per game, which would be his highest average in six years. But he continues to not stay in one place for too long. Cleveland will be Harden's sixth NBA team and is fourth since leaving Houston during the 2020-2021 season. Joe Morgan, Fox News.

[Fox News Anchor]

Also in the NBA, the New York Knicks won their seventh straight game, blowing out Washington 132, 101. I'm Dave Anthony. This is Fox.