8AM ET 07/04/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 8AM ET 07/04/2026

Host: Angelo Bavaro
Date: July 4, 2026
Main Theme:
This special Fourth of July edition marks America’s 250th birthday with national and global coverage, spotlighting contrasting political messages, key events in Washington, D.C. and New York, U.S.–Iran tensions, presidential pardons, and international perspectives on Independence Day.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

America’s 250th Birthday Celebrations

• Mount Rushmore Speech by President Trump

  • President Trump commemorated America’s 250th at Mount Rushmore (00:09).
  • Focus on American spirit and resilience:
    • “Show us a mountain and we'll just climb it. Show us an ocean and we'll just cross it. Show us a problem and we will just solve it. Show us a task the world calls impossible and Americans will get it done.” – President Trump (00:16)

• Times Square Semiquincentennial Ball Drops

  • New York City is holding eight separate ball drops in Times Square, one for each U.S. time zone at local midnight (00:35, 00:49).

Political Division and Messages on National Pride

• Contrasting Fourth of July Messages

  • President Trump’s message at Mount Rushmore highlighted national pride and rejected communism.

  • New York City’s Democratic Socialist Mayor Zalran Mamdani delivered an alternative speech critiquing ICE and wealthy elites, including Elon Musk, and framing the occasion as a time to address “an arena of supremacy” (00:58).

    “Here in New York City, Democratic Socialist Mayor Zalran Mamdani, flanked by newly naturalized Americans and seated on George Washington's desk, marked America's 250th by delivering a blistering critique of ICE and wealthy elites, including Elon Musk in what he called an arena of supremacy.” – Chanley Painter (00:58)

  • A new Fox News poll reveals a deep partisan split in national pride:

    • 83% of Republicans say they are proud of America.
    • Only 27% of Democrats express the same sentiment (01:38).

2026 Election and Political Landscape

• Surge of candidates identifying as Democratic Socialists leading up to November’s midterm elections (01:42).
• President Trump reiterates America will “never be a communist country” in his speech (01:51).

U.S.–Iran Relations and Global Security Updates

• Stalled U.S.–Iran Talks

  • Talks are on hold as Iran mourns the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died after the conflict that began in February (02:32).

  • His son, the new Supreme Leader, is absent from the funeral after reported threats from Israel (02:42).

  • Iran has made nuclear threats in response to Israeli actions and U.S. warnings about potential assassinations of Iranian officials (02:42–03:16).

    “In Bahrain at the UN Security Council meeting, a New York Times report claims the U.S. warned Iran this spring Israel may have been plotting to kill its foreign minister and parliament speaker, delivering the message via intermediaries amid concern it could doom cease fire negotiations.” – Fox News Correspondent (02:56)

    “Bibi in a statement lauded America as a guarantor of global freedom.” – Fox News Correspondent (03:14)

• Iran Rejects U.S. Offer

  • Iran turned down U.S. proposals to open the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for access to unfrozen funds (03:16).

Presidential Pardons on Clean Air Act Violations

• President Trump pardons six individuals previously convicted for fixing their own vehicles in violation of Biden-era Clean Air Act regulations (03:30).
  • He characterizes them as “victims of a weaponized Justice Department” (03:30).
  • Executive order passed to loosen emission system repair restrictions for individuals.
  • Speculation that more pardons are forthcoming for the America 250 celebrations (03:45).

Pope Leo XIV’s Independence Day Message

• Pope Leo XIV, a U.S.-born pontiff, spent the day on Lampedusa, honoring migrants lost at sea and advocating for both the unborn and immigrants (04:03).

  “In a Fourth of July message, the pope insisted that protecting the unborn and all human life also means welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants.” – Fox News Reporter (04:18)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• President Trump on American Resolve (00:16)

  “Show us a mountain and we'll just climb it. Show us an ocean and we'll just cross it. Show us a problem and we will just solve it. Show us a task the world calls impossible and Americans will get it done.”

• Mayor Mamdani’s Critique on America’s Birthday (00:58)

  “Marked America's 250th by delivering a blistering critique of ICE and wealthy elites, including Elon Musk in what he called an arena of supremacy.” – Chanley Painter

• Fox News on National Division (01:38)

  “A sharp partisan split on national pride, with 83% of Republicans saying they're proud of America, compared with 27% of Democrats.” – Chanley Painter

• Fox News Correspondent on U.S.–Iran (02:56)

  “The U.S. warned Iran this spring Israel may have been plotting to kill its foreign minister and parliament speaker… could doom cease fire negotiations.”

• Pope Leo XIV on Human Life and Immigration (04:18)

  “Protecting the unborn and all human life also means welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants.”

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Important Timestamps

• 00:09–00:35: Coverage of national celebrations (Mount Rushmore, Times Square)
• 00:58–01:38: Contrasting Fourth of July political messages; Fox News poll on national pride
• 02:32–03:16: U.S.–Iran relations, funeral for Ayatollah Khamenei, Israel’s involvement
• 03:30–03:45: Trump pardons for Clean Air Act violations; speculation about broader pardons
• 04:03–04:24: Pope Leo XIV’s message from Lampedusa

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Tone & Style

Direct and urgent, consistent with breaking news updates but incorporating celebratory, patriotic language for July 4th coverage. Includes vivid descriptions and pointed political contrasts to reflect ongoing national debate and international tensions.

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Transcript

[Angelo Bavaro]

Celebrating America 250. I'm Angelo Bavaro, Fox News. Ahead of today's Fourth of July festivities

[Fox News Reporter]

in D.C. president Trump ushered in America's 250th birthday from Mount Rushmore in South Dakota Friday night.

[President Trump]

Show us a mountain and we'll just climb it. Show us an ocean and we'll just cross it. Show us a problem and we will just solve it. Show us a task the world calls impossible and Americans will get it done.

[Fox News Reporter]

Meantime, New York City is celebrating the nation's semiquincentennial by holding eight ball drops in Times Square, the first one at midnight local time.

[Angelo Bavaro]

And each of those ball drops will

[Fox News Reporter]

take place at midnight for every American time zone. Now, some Republicans and Democrats seem to be sharing a split message as Americans

[Chanley Painter]

celebrate the 4th as President Trump celebrated America's 250th anniversary at Mount Rushmore, some Democrats delivered a markedly different message. Here in New York City, Democratic Socialist Mayor Zalran Mamdani, flanked by newly naturalized Americans and seated on George Washington's desk, marked America's 250th by delivering a blistering critique of ice and wealthy elites, including Elon Musk in what he called an arena of supremacy. The contrast comes as a new Fox News poll finds a sharp partizan split on national pride, with 83% of Republicans saying they're proud of America, compared with 27% of Democrats.

[Angelo Bavaro]

That is Fox's Chanley Painter. This comes as a wave of candidates

[Fox News Reporter]

describing themselves as Democratic socialists are making ground ahead of November's midterm elections. In his speech last night, President Trump vowed America would, quote, never be a communist country.

[Angelo Bavaro]

America is listening to Fox News,

[Chevron Narrator]

who

helps America go farther, fly higher, dream even bigger?

People do.

Since 1879, our people have been more than a source of energy. They've been a source of progress. Today, that same progress is helping deliver record US Energy production, fueling the workers, the makers, the boundary pushers and risk takers who spark the breakthroughs that move America forward. Learn more about what our people [e-mail] USA250

[Angelo Bavaro]

talks between the US and Iran

[Fox News Reporter]

are on hold as the Iranian regime holds a funeral for their late leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died when the conflict started in February.

[Fox News Correspondent]

The new supreme leader, Khamenei's son won't be attending after Israel reportedly threatened to assassinate him. Iran, in turn, threatened to embrace nuclear weapons after downplaying civilian attacks. In Bahrain at the UN Security Council meeting meeting, a New York Times report claims the US Warned Iran this spring Israel may have been plotting to kill its foreign minister and parliament speaker, delivering the message via intermediaries amid concern it could doom cease fire negotiations. Trump and Netanyahu moving past recent tensions in a call agreeing to meet soon in the US Bibi in a statement lauded America as a guarantor of global freedom.

[Angelo Bavaro]

Fox's Jackie Heinrich Iran has reportedly rejected

[Fox News Reporter]

the U.S. s offer to open the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for unfrozen funds. President Trump pardoning people convicted of violating Biden era clean air rules Fox's Jared

[Jared Halpern]

Halpern the president says he's pardoned six people who were prosecuted for fixing their own cars. In a social media post, President Trump says the individuals were victims of a weaponized Justice Department. This week, the president signed an executive order loosening Clean Air act rules that limited the types of fixes individuals can make on their vehicle's emissions system. There has been speculation President Trump is considering dozens of pardons to coincide with the America 250 celebrations at the White House. Jared Halpern, Fox News Pope Leo XIV

[Fox News Reporter]

spent Independence Day on Italy's island of Lampedusa, honoring migrants who die trying to reach Europe. The US Born pontiff prayed at a migrant cemetery, met with new arrivals and celebrated Mass. In a Fourth of July message, the pope insisted that protecting the unborn and all human life also means welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants.

[Angelo Bavaro]

I'm Angelo Bavaro and this is Fox News.

[Fox News Wine Shop Announcer]

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