8PM ET 07/01/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 8PM ET, 07/01/2026

Host: Lisa Licera (FOX News Podcasts)
Date: July 2, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of the Fox News Hourly Update delivers concise coverage of major national news stories for the early evening. Topics include a sweeping heat wave across the Midwest and Northeast, newly-announced presidential actions, updates on U.S. legislation, international trade developments, a headline-making public stunt at the Empire State Building, a major supermarket acquisition, and a much-anticipated celebrity wedding.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Historic Heat Wave Grips Large Swath of the U.S.

• Record Temperatures Expected

  • [00:03] Lisa Licera reports on historic, record-shattering temperatures forecast for the Midwest and Northeast, continuing through the weekend.
  • [00:12] Tonja J. Powers: "More than 65 million people across 20 states could see temperatures top 100 degrees this week, with more than 150 million currently under heat alerts."

• City & State Responses

  • [00:28] Reporter: New York City opens “hundreds of cooling centers” and deploys over a dozen “cool vans” offering both medical care and resources.
  • New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani warns it might be the city’s hottest Fourth of July since 2010.

• National Scale & Dangers

  • [00:38] Forecast: Friday heat indices — Raleigh, NC (105°F), Memphis, TN (109°F), Washington, D.C. (110°F).
  • [00:51] Tonja J. Powers highlights: “Extreme heat is the number one weather-related killer in the U.S.”

Weather Update: Pacific Tropics

• [00:51] Tropical Storm Douglas forms in the Pacific but is labeled “no threat to land” by the National Hurricane Center.

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Presidential Visit & National Parks Funding

• [01:04] Reporter: President Trump visits North Dakota for the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Library in Medora.
  • President Trump, after arriving on the new Air Force One and touring the library, signs “the reauthorization to a 2020 law that pumps money into aging infrastructure in American national parks.”
  • Context: Highlights Roosevelt's foundational role in the park system.
  • [01:27] Reporter Attribution: Davis Bunt, Medora, ND

Notable Quote

• [01:16] “Roosevelt helped lay the groundwork for the modern day park system.” – Reporter/Correspondent

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Legislative Updates: Save America Act

• [01:27] Lisa Licera: Coverage shifts to legislative efforts in Congress.
• [01:36] Reporter: House Speaker Mike Johnson comments on possible paths for the Save America Act, including the creation of state grant programs for election integrity.
• [01:42] Lisa Licera: Senate Majority Leader John Thune signals insufficient votes for passage.

Notable Quote

• [01:37] “One of the ways to do it is to create a grant program to incentivize states to enact election integrity measures.” – Reporter/House Speaker Johnson attribution

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World Cup Soccer

• [01:42] Update: The U.S. men's soccer team begins a World Cup knockout-stage game against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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USMCA Trade Agreement Up in the Air

• [02:32] Lisa Licera: Announcement that the USMCA (U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement) “will not be renewed.”
• [02:36] Jamison Greer: The U.S. Trade Representative elaborates: USMCA remains in force but is now subject to annual reviews and renegotiation.

Notable Quote

• [02:54] President Donald Trump: “I don't know that I'm going to renew it because to be honest with you, the United States does much better. Hey, we don't need anything that Canada has. We don't need anything that Mexico has, but they need everything that we have.”

• [03:07] Jamison Greer: President Trump finds trade deficits with Canada and Mexico “unacceptable”; negotiations with Mexico set for later in July.

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Empire State Building Stunt Ends in Arrest

• [03:17] Lisa Licera: Two people arrested for scaling the Empire State Building, hanging a “power of love” banner, and staging a marriage proposal atop the iconic landmark.

  • Details: Man and woman, in black attire and masks, kissed on a narrow ledge above the antenna; arrested on descent.
  • Event occurred around 1PM.

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Major Grocery Industry Merger: Kroger Buys Giant Eagle

• [03:38] Chris Foster: Kroger, headquartered in Ohio (1,200+ stores in 16 states), acquires Pennsylvania-based Giant Eagle ($1.65B deal, 197 supermarkets, 11 standalone pharmacies).
  • “Giant Eagle to run as a separate division.”
  • Regulatory scrutiny expected; possible divestitures in overlapping markets.

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Celebrity News: Swift & Kelce Wedding

• [04:07] Lisa Licera: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are set to marry Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
  • Sourced from the Associated Press via a law enforcement official involved in security planning.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|--------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:12 | Tonja J. Powers | “More than 65 million people across 20 states could see temperatures top 100 degrees…” | | 00:51 | Tonja J. Powers | “Extreme heat is the number one weather-related killer in the U.S.” | | 01:16 | Reporter/Correspondent | “Roosevelt helped lay the groundwork for the modern day park system.” | | 01:37 | House Speaker Johnson | “One of the ways to do it is to create a grant program to incentivize states…” | | 02:54 | President Donald Trump | “Hey, we don't need anything that Canada has. We don't need anything that Mexico has, but they need everything that we have.” | | 03:17 | Lisa Licera | “The man and woman... balanced on a narrow ledge, kissing above the building's antenna.” |

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Heat Emergency & Cooling Centers: [00:03] - [00:42]
• Storm Douglas / Trump in North Dakota: [00:51] - [01:27]
• Congressional Update (Save America Act): [01:27] - [01:42]
• USMCA Not Renewed & Trump Comments: [02:32] - [03:07]
• Empire State Building Stunt: [03:17] - [03:37]
• Kroger-Giant Eagle Acquisition: [03:38] - [04:07]
• Swift/Kelce Wedding Announcement: [04:07] - [04:28]

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Overall Tone & Style

The newscast maintains a brisk and authoritative tone, emphasizing hard news and rapid, fact-focused delivery. News breaks are substantiated with direct quotes and on-the-ground reports. The episode is concise, offering updates in a clearly prioritized sequence without extended commentary or editorializing.

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Transcript

[Lisa Licera]

Heat warnings in effect. I'm Lisa Licera, FOX News Record breaking temperatures in the Midwest and Northeast expected to continue through the weekend.

[Tonja J. Powers]

More than 65 million people across 20 states could see temperatures top 100 degrees this week with more than 150 million currently under heat alerts. New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani says if the forecast holds, it could be the city's hottest Fourth of July since 2010.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

The city has opened hundreds of cooling centers across the five boroughs. We have also launched a fleet of more than a dozen cool vans where New Yorkers can access medical care and resources.

[Tonja J. Powers]

Forecasters are expecting Friday heat indices of 105 in Raleigh, North Carolina, 109 in Memphis, Tennessee and 110 in Washington, D.C. extreme heat is the number one weather related killer in the U.S. fox's Tonja J.

[Lisa Licera]

Powers in New York City. Tropical Storm Douglas has formed in the Pacific, but the National Hurricane center says it's no threat to land. President Trump traveled to North Dakota this afternoon for the opening of the Teddy Roosevelt President.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

After landing on the new Air Force One in North Dakota, Trump arrived by train before touring the new Theodore Roosevelt Library in Maduro, a town of less than 200 people. Inside the museum, Trump signed the reauthorization to a 2020 law that pumps money into aging infrastructure in American national parks. Roosevelt helped lay the groundwork for the modern day park system.

[Lisa Licera]

Fox's Davis Bunt in Medora, North Dakota, House Speaker Mike Johnson says Republicans are working on a way forward for the Save America Act. He tells Fox's Larry Kudlo there are several options.

[Reporter/Correspondent]

One of the ways to do it is to create a grant program to incentivize states to enact election integrity measures.

[Lisa Licera]

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said there were not enough votes to pass it. The U.S. soccer team just underway in a World cup knockout game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. America is listening to Fox News.

[UnitedHealth Group Representative]

Across the country, UnitedHealth Group is working with local partners to build healthier communities every day. That includes helping partners like the good acre provide 45,000 meals and lower A1C in the twin Cities and helping hello Family doulas deliver 44% fewer underweight births in Spartanburg. Because building healthier communities starts by giving people access to the care and services they need to live healthier lives. Learn [e-mail] Commitment the U.S. mexico, Canada

[Lisa Licera]

Trade Agreement, or USMCA, will not be renewed.

[Jamison Greer]

U.S. trade Representative Jamison Greer says after virtual meetings with Canada and Mexico. The US has declined to renew the USMCA in its current form, the pact remains in force, but it's now subject to annual reviews until it's either renewed for a new term or terminated. A few weeks ago, the president had said from the Oval Office, I don't

[President Donald Trump]

know that I'm going to renew it because to be honest with you, the United States does much better. Hey, we don't need anything that Canada has. We don't need anything that Mexico has, but they need everything that we have.

[Jamison Greer]

The president said trade deficits with these countries are unacceptable. Greer says the US will meet with Mexico the week of July 20th to continue negotiating. Jessica Rosenthal, FOX News Two people have

[Lisa Licera]

been arrested after they hung a banner about the power of love at the top of the Empire State Building. The man and woman, dressed in black and wearing masks, balanced on a narrow ledge, kissing above the building's antenna. While climbing down, the man appeared to propose to the woman. The two climbers were taken into custody about 1pm One of the biggest supermarket chains in the US is getting bigger.

[Chris Foster]

Kroger is buying Giant eagle. It's a $1.65 billion deal. Kroger's based in Ohio with more than 1200 supermarkets in 16 states, mostly in the Midwest and South. This deal expands their reach. Giant Eagle is based in Pennsylvania with 197 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies from Indiana to Maryland. That's a private company. Kroger's is publicly traded. The plan is for Giant Eagle to be run as a separate division, keeping its store names and corporate headquarters. Some stores may have to be sold off or closed in Kroger territories for regulators to approve the deal.

[Lisa Licera]

Fox's Chris Foster, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce will have their wedding at Madison Square Garden on Friday night. That's according to the Associated Press, who spoke with a law enforcement official involved in security plans. I'm Lisa Licera. This is FOX News.

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