Morning Wire: Evening Wire – USA Grabs Gold & Ghislaine Pleads The Fifth | 2.9.26
Podcast: Morning Wire
Hosts: Georgia Howe & John Bickley
Date: February 9, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode delivers a rapid-fire roundup of the day's most significant news in politics, sports, justice, and international affairs. Highlights include Team USA’s Winter Olympics golds, Ghislaine Maxwell’s House testimony, an emotional plea in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance, major political shakeups in the UK and Japan, Jimmy Lai’s sentencing in Hong Kong, U.S. military operations, and more. The hosts maintain a tone of urgency and directness, focusing on hard facts, notable developments, and underreported angles.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Winter Olympics: USA’s Gold Medal Wins
[00:18]
- Team USA’s strong start at the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics.
- Breezy Johnson clinched gold in women’s downhill.
- The American mixed team, including Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Alysa Liu, and Ilia Malinin, won gold in figure skating.
- USA’s all-time Winter Olympic totals: 330 medals (114 gold).
- U.S. currently sits third in gold count, behind Norway and Switzerland.
2. Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie
[00:51]
- Day nine in the search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of Savannah Guthrie.
- Latest family video by Savannah is an unscripted, direct plea to the public:
- Savannah Guthrie [01:21]:
"We believe our mom is still out there. We need your help...no matter where you are...if you see anything, you hear anything, if there's anything at all that seems strange to you that you report to law enforcement. We are at an hour of desperation and we need your help."
- Savannah Guthrie [01:21]:
- Family received a 6 million bitcoin ransom demand; deadline expired.
- No suspects identified. Daily Wire’s comprehensive series “Finding Nancy Guthrie” is available for in-depth coverage.
3. Ghislaine Maxwell Invokes the Fifth
[02:20]
- Ghislaine Maxwell, testifying before the House Oversight Committee, invokes the Fifth Amendment "to nearly every question."
- Maxwell offers to testify fully if granted clemency for her 20-year sentence; President Trump is "non-committal."
- John Bickley [02:20]:
"Maxwell has said she'll give a full account of what she knows if she's guaranteed clemency for her 20 year sentence. But President Trump has been non committal on the issue, saying he, quote, has not thought about it."
4. UK Political Fallout from Epstein Ties
[02:43]
- Morgan McSweeney, British PM Sir Keir Starmer’s Chief of Staff, resigns over links to Jeffrey Epstein uncovered in new files.
- Peter Mandelson, former UK Ambassador to the U.S., exchanged sensitive information with Epstein and received $75,000 in payments.
- Starmer expresses gratitude in a measured statement.
- British Cabinet Minister Pat McFadden [03:33]:
"It's a prime Ministerial appointment and prime ministers have to take responsibility for the decisions that they make."
- Creates increased pressure on PM Starmer's leadership.
5. Japan’s Conservative Turn
[03:47]
- Japanese PM Sanai Takei leads a conservative landslide, securing a 3/4 parliamentary majority.
- Clear mandate for bolstering U.S. ties, defense spending, and economic reforms.
- President Trump [04:16] (via Truth Social):
"Sinai's bold and wise decision to call for an election paid off big time."
6. Jimmy Lai Sentenced in Hong Kong
[04:31]-[05:30]
- Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai receives 20 years under the Chinese security law for “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces.”
- Lai has spent over 1,800 days in solitary confinement.
- Donald Trump [05:15]:
"I feel so badly. I spoke to President Xi about it. I asked to consider his release. He's not well. He's an older man and he's not well. So I did put that request out. We'll see what happens."
- U.S. State Department strongly condemns the sentence.
7. U.S. Navy Captures Venezuelan Oil Tanker
[05:30]
- U.S. captures its eighth Venezuelan oil tanker enforcing the embargo.
- Sec. of War Hegseth:
"It ran and we followed by land, air or sea, our armed forces will find you and deliver justice. You'll run out of fuel long before you'll outrun us."
8. Anthony Aguilar Campaigns Despite Disproved Claims
[07:06]
- Former Green Beret Anthony Aguilar runs for North Carolina’s 13th Congressional seat as a Green Party candidate.
- Previously claimed to witness the killing of a Gazan boy at a U.S.-backed aid site—story exposed as false; child is alive, video disproved account.
- Aguilar continues to leverage "whistleblower" status in campaign despite public refutation.
9. U.S.–Armenia Civil Nuclear Agreement
[08:05]
- Vice President J.D. Vance becomes highest ranking U.S. official to visit Armenia.
- Signs $9B deal, including drone shipments, shifting Armenia’s energy alliances from Russia to the U.S.
- Vance [08:56]:
"We're also creating real prosperity for Armenia and the United States together. I really do believe that tonight marks a new beginning for Armenia and the United States and the partnership that our country can have together."
10. Brooklyn Power Outage & NYC Controversy
[09:08]
- Thousands in Brooklyn without power in subzero temperatures; city opens warming centers.
- NYC Mayor Zoran Mamdani criticized for defending a schizophrenic, knife-wielding man shot by police after charging them.
- John Bickley [10:27]:
"Jabez needs mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution by a district attorney."
11. HIMS Drops Unapproved Weight Loss Pill
[10:41]
- Telehealth company HIMS halts online sales of compounded, pill-form GLP1 weight loss medication after FDA warning.
- FDA to restrict compounded alternatives due to safety and legal concerns.
12. F-22 Raptors Pulled from Super Bowl Flyover
[11:33]
- F-22 fighter jets rerouted from the Super Bowl to operational assignments amid increased U.S. military activity globally.
- Recent use in Syria strikes (Operation Midnight Hammer), Venezuela (Operation Absolute Resolve).
13. TPUSA All-American Halftime Show Success
[12:37]
- TPUSA's alternative Super Bowl halftime show draws over 7 million viewers, promoted as a family-friendly, patriotic option.
- Featured artists: Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, Gabby Barrett.
- Aired in direct competition with mainstream Super Bowl 60 show (featuring Bad Bunny).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Savannah Guthrie on mother’s abduction [01:21]:
"We are at an hour of desperation and we need your help."
-
John Bickley on Maxwell case [02:20]:
"The Fifth Amendment shields individuals from answering questions that may incriminate them..."
-
President Trump on Jimmy Lai [05:15]:
"I feel so badly... I asked to consider his release. He's not well."
-
Vice President Vance on U.S.–Armenia deal [08:56]:
"I really do believe that tonight marks a new beginning for Armenia and the United States..."
-
Sec. of War Hegseth on oil tanker capture [05:30]:
"You’ll run out of fuel long before you’ll outrun us."
Timestamps for Major Segments
- USA Olympics Golds: [00:18]
- Nancy Guthrie Search Plea: [00:51]–[01:56]
- Ghislaine Maxwell Testimony: [02:20]
- UK Epstein Fallout: [02:43]
- Japan Election Victory: [03:47]
- Jimmy Lai Sentencing: [04:31]–[05:30]
- Venezuelan Oil Tanker Incident: [05:30]
- Anthony Aguilar’s Campaign: [07:06]
- U.S.–Armenia Agreement: [08:05]
- Brooklyn Power Outage & NYC Mayor Controversy: [09:08]
- HIMS Fat Loss Pill Pulled: [10:41]
- F-22s Rerouted from Super Bowl: [11:33]
- TPUSA Halftime Show Viewership: [12:37]
Conclusion
This episode of Evening Wire combines rapid headline reporting with deeper context on high-impact political, legal, and cultural events both in the U.S. and abroad. The editors balance factual summaries with direct, sometimes emotional, firsthand remarks—making it an accessible but comprehensive news digest for listeners seeking timely, reliable coverage.