Arrest Made in 2021 Pipe Bomb Plot at RNC and DNC

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update

Episode: Arrest Made in 2021 Pipe Bomb Plot at RNC and DNC
Date: December 4, 2025
Host: Lisa Lucera (with reports from Brian Cole Jr., Ryan Schmell, Ainsley Earhart)

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers breaking coverage of a major arrest in the 2021 pipe bomb plot that targeted the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C. Additional news highlights include updates from Capitol Hill, ongoing military investigations, immigration and visa policies, and a lighter segment on the most mispronounced words of the year.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Arrest in the 2021 Pipe Bomb Plot

• Summary:
  After an extensive FBI investigation, Brian Cole Jr. has been arrested in relation to the pipe bombs found outside the RNC and DNC on January 5, 2021.

• Details:

  • Evidence Leading to Arrest:
    • Cell phone data placed Cole at both locations the night of the crime ([00:14]).
    • Purchases of bomb-making materials in 2020 are linked to Cole through bank receipts.
    • FBI executed search warrants at Cole’s Woodbridge, VA, home, a D.C. suburb.
  • Charges:
    • Transporting explosive devices across state lines.
    • Attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials.
    • Ongoing investigation with more charges possible.

• Motivation:

  • The motive for the plot is still unclear ([00:42]).
  • No confirmed connection yet between the plot and the January 6 Capitol riot.

• Notable Quote:

  “Authorities say search warrants are being executed. More charges could be on the way.”
  — Lisa Lucera ([00:38])

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2. National Guard Deployment Continues in D.C.

• Summary:
  The Trump administration wins a temporary pause on a judicial order to remove National Guard troops from Washington, D.C.
• Details:
  • The federal appeals court’s intervention keeps the deployment in place, though the decision is not yet final ([00:42]).

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3. Congressional Briefings on Military Actions

• Summary:
  Lawmakers are briefed on a U.S. military incident involving a strike on a suspected drug boat off Venezuela.

• Details:

  • Admiral Frank Bradley provided a four-hour closed-door briefing to intelligence committees.
  • Lawmakers saw disturbing video footage of U.S. forces attacking shipwrecked cartel members.

• Memorable Exchanges:

  “Any American who sees the video that I saw will see the United States military attacking shipwrecked sailors. Bad guys. Bad guys. But, but attacking shipwrecked sailors.”
  — House Intel Member Jim Himes ([01:21])

  “What's disturbing to me is that millions of Americans have died from drugs being run to America by these cartels.”
  — Senator Tom Cotton ([01:35])

• Additional News:

  • Investigations into recent Navy mishaps point to combat stress as a contributing factor during U.S.-led operations against Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

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4. Political Shifts in Congress

• Summary:
  Matt Van Epps sworn in as Tennessee’s newest congressman, replacing Mark Green and impacting the GOP majority.

• Details:

  • Van Epps pledges to deliver results for his constituents ([03:08]).
  • The GOP edge remains slim with 219 Republicans versus 213 Democrats as Marjorie Taylor Greene plans retirement.

• Memorable Quote:

  “Our constituents are looking for results. The people of Tennessee didn’t send me here to just give a speech.”
  — Matt Van Epps ([03:08])

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5. New U.S. Visa Policy Directives

• Summary:
  The Trump administration directs embassies to prioritize certain visa types ahead of major upcoming events.
• Key Points:
  • Special priority for visitors seeking to invest or attend the 2026 World Cup, 2028 Olympics, and other large sporting events ([03:39]).
  • Stricter criteria for highly-skilled visas; excludes applicants believed to have participated in social media censorship.

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6. Most Mispronounced Words of the Year

• Summary:
  Language learning company Babbel highlights frequently mispronounced names and terms from major 2025 news stories.

• Highlights:

  • “Louvre” and “Zoran Mamdani” rank high due to their foreign origins ([04:17]).
  • Pharmaceutical names like “Mounjaro” stump many speakers.
  • “Acetaminophen” cited as another challenging word, leading people to simply say “Tylenol.”

• Memorable Quote:

  “The reason people just say Tylenol is it's hard to ace acetaminophen.”
  — Ainsley Earhart ([04:50])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Arrest in Pipe Bomb Plot: [00:02] – [00:42]
• National Guard Deployment Update: [00:42] – [00:59]
• Military Briefings and Navy Investigations: [01:21] – [01:59]
• Political Shifts in Congress: [02:59] – [03:39]
• U.S. Visa Policy Changes: [03:39] – [04:15]
• Mispronounced Words Segment: [04:15] – [04:50]

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Notable Quotes

• “Authorities say search warrants are being executed. More charges could be on the way.” — Lisa Lucera ([00:38])
• “Any American who sees the video that I saw will see the United States military attacking shipwrecked sailors. Bad guys. Bad guys. But, but attacking shipwrecked sailors.” — Jim Himes ([01:21])
• “What's disturbing to me is that millions of Americans have died from drugs being run to America by these cartels.” — Tom Cotton ([01:35])
• “Our constituents are looking for results. The people of Tennessee didn’t send me here to just give a speech.” — Matt Van Epps ([03:08])
• “The reason people just say Tylenol is it's hard to ace acetaminophen.” — Ainsley Earhart ([04:50])

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Closing Notes

This Fox News Hourly Update offers a concise but comprehensive look at significant ongoing investigations, shifts in U.S. security and immigration policy, and cultural highlights, keeping listeners briefed on both hard news and lighter topics.

Transcript

[Lisa Lucera]

An arrest in a pipe bomb plot from 2021 that targeted political headquarters. I'm Lisa Licera of Fox News. The FBI says after a months long investigation of old evidence, an arrest has been made.

[Brian Cole Jr.]

Brian Cole Jr. S cell phone pinged in the area of the RNC and DNC the night of the crime, January 5, 2021. Authorities say bank receipts show that Cole purchased bomb making materials in 2020 used to make those specific pipe bombs. FBI agent spent hours at his home in Woodbridge, Virginia, a D.C. suburb. He's charged with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce as well as attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials. Authorities say search warrants are being executed. More charges could be on the way.

[Lisa Lucera]

Fox's David spun the motive for the plot has not been released and it's not clear if there is any connection with the 2021 Capitol riot. A victory for the Trump administration in the effort to keep the National Guard in Washington as the federal appeals court has paused a lower court order that that would have ended the deployment a week from today. The judgment, though, is not final. Members of the House and Senate Intelligence committees heard from the admiral who ordered the strikes on a reported drug boat off the coast of Venezuela in September. Admiral Frank Bradley briefed lawmakers in a secure room for about four hours. House intel committee ranking member Jim Himes says he watched the video of the incident and found it disturbing.

[Ryan Schmell]

Any American who sees the video that I saw will see the United States military attacking shipwrecked sailors. Bad guys. Bad guys. But, but attacking shipwrecked sailors.

[Lisa Lucera]

Senate Intelligence committee chair Tom Cotton.

[Brian Cole Jr.]

What's disturbing to me is that millions of Americans have died from drugs being run to America by these cartels.

[Lisa Lucera]

Senator Cotton says he believes these type of strikes will continue investigations into a series of mishaps by the Navy during a U. S Led campaign against Yemen's Houthi rebels has found the the stress of combat was a key factor. America is listening to FOX News.

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[Brian Cole Jr.]

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[Lisa Lucera]

2025 House Speaker Mike Johnson has sworn in the newest member of Congress, Matt.

[Ryan Schmell]

Van Epps, officially joining the House of Representatives, saying he's ready to get to work.

[Brian Cole Jr.]

Our constituents are looking for results. The people of Tennessee didn't send me here to just give a speech.

[Ryan Schmell]

The Republican won a special election in Tennessee's 7th congressional district to replace former Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, who who retired Van Epps gives Republicans a much needed boost with the upcoming retirement of Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene as the GOP will have a slim majority at 219 Republicans to 213 Democrats. On Capitol Hill, Ryan Schmell's Fox News.

[Lisa Lucera]

The Trump administration has instructed U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to prioritize visa applications from people wishing to visit the US to either invest in America or attend the 2026 World cup or or 2028 Olympics and other major sporting events. At the same time, the administration has added new criteria for highly skilled foreign workers seeking a particular visa that could deny entry to those deemed to have directed or participated in the censorship of American citizens on social media. A language learning company out with a list of the year's most mispronounced words, and many of them were big news stories.

[Ainsley Earhart]

Can you say Louvre?

[Lisa Lucera]

It's tough.

[Ainsley Earhart]

The language learning company Babbel notes, a lot of these names come from different languages, so we have to adapt to a sound we'd never made before. That explains the French museum where the crown jewels were stolen and Zoran Mamdani, the mayor elect of New York. Also one of the year's most googled names says it's Zoran, not Zoran, and often gets Man Dami or even Zam Dani, who can pronounce made up pharma names. Mounjaro is as awkward as it looks. The GLP weight loss drug. The reason people just say Tylenol is it's hard to ace acetaminophen.

[Lisa Lucera]

Fox's Therese Crowley I'm Lisa Lucera. This is Fox News.

[Ainsley Earhart]

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

[Brian Cole Jr.]

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.