Iran's 8pm Deadline, Soleimani Niece Arrest, Artemis II Breaks Space Travel Record: AM Update 4/7

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Megyn Kelly Show

Episode: Iran's 8pm Deadline, Soleimani Niece Arrest, Artemis II Breaks Space Travel Record: AM Update 4/7
Host: Megyn Kelly (SiriusXM)
Date: April 7, 2026

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Episode Overview

This AM Update focuses on the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, including President Trump's stern 8pm deadline and threats of military action. The episode also covers the recent ICE arrest of Qasem Soleimani’s niece and grandniece, a Supreme Court ruling favoring Steve Bannon, and the Artemis II mission’s historic feat in space travel.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S.-Iran Tensions: The 8pm Deadline

• Trump’s Hardline Stance:
  President Trump delivers an ultimatum to Iran: reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8pm Eastern or face attacks on critical infrastructure such as power plants and bridges.
• Escalation Details:
  Trump’s rhetoric is severe, warning that:

  "Every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again."
  (Donald Trump, 00:38 & 03:08)

• Diplomatic Maneuvering:
  Trump outlines his approach to deadlines and negotiations, showing both threat and leniency:

  "I gave them an extension...the day after Easter. I want to be a nice person. They have until tomorrow...And after that, they're going to have no bridges, they're going to have no power plants. Stone Ages."
  (Donald Trump, 04:28)

• Iran’s Response:
  Iranian Deputy Minister Alireza Rahimi calls youths to protect infrastructure by forming human chains around power plants, describing planned attacks as war crimes.
  (05:18)

2. Soleimani Niece & Grandniece Arrested

• Background:
  ICE arrests Hamide Suleimani Afshar (niece) and Serena Sadat Hosseini (grandniece) in Los Angeles. Both have been in the U.S. since 2015, received asylum, and later green cards.
• Controversies:
  • Afshar maintained support for the Iranian regime on social media, called America the "Great Satan," and celebrated attacks on US soldiers.
  • Both lead lavish public lives, though reports suggest a discrepancy between their social media and real circumstances (e.g., Afshar living in a small unit behind a rental property).
  • DHS alleges fraudulent asylum claims, given documented travel back to Iran.
• Implications:
  "The Trump administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti American terrorist regimes."
  (Secretary Marco Rubio, 08:48)

3. Steve Bannon’s Conviction Vacated by Supreme Court

• Court’s Actions:
  The U.S. Supreme Court, in an unsigned order, vacated Bannon’s prior conviction for contempt of Congress, remanding it for dismissal.
• Legal Reasoning:
  • Bannon defied a congressional subpoena, citing executive privilege.
  • Lower courts had previously found against Bannon; he served four months in prison.
  • DOJ, now supportive of Bannon’s position, requested the conviction be vacated.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Mike Davis, Article 3 Project:

    "The Supreme Court's ruling today fixes this great injustice, this grotesque violation of the separation of powers." (12:42) "This is a crucial victory for Article 2, the Constitution, the separation of powers, the presidency... presidents can trust that their advisors will not get called before Congress and have to reveal their confidential, candid discussions." (13:24) "Unfortunately, Steve Bannon already spent four months in prison. Those who did this to Steve Bannon must be held accountable." (14:07)

• Implications:
  • Seen as a significant decision for executive privilege and future relations between Congress and presidential advisors.

4. Artemis II: Space Exploration Milestone

• Historic Record:
  Artemis II astronauts traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history, exceeding Apollo 13’s record by reaching 252,000+ miles.
• Crew Reflections:
  • Jeremy Hansen (Astronaut):

    "As we surpass the furthest distance humans have ever traveled from planet Earth, we do so in honoring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors in human space exploration... we most importantly, choose this moment to challenge this generation and the next to make sure this record is not long lived." (14:58)

• Mission Highlights:
  • Six-hour lunar flyby, direct observation of untouched lunar territories, a 40-minute communication blackout, and a slingshot trajectory back to Earth.
  • Splashdown set for just after 8pm Eastern on Friday.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Trump’s Threat of Escalation:

  "Very little is off limits." (Donald Trump, 03:04)

• Human Shields in Iran:

  "We will stand hand in hand to say attacking public infrastructure is a war crime." (Alireza Rahimi via state media, summarized at 05:18)

• Space Perspective:

  "We most importantly, choose this moment to challenge this generation and the next to make sure this record is not long lived." (Jeremy Hansen, 14:58)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:37] U.S.-Iran Deadline, Trump’s Threats Outlined
• [04:28] Trump on Extensions and Deadline Rationale
• [05:18] Iran’s Response & Human Chains, ICE Arrest of Soleimani Relatives
• [10:11 - 14:34] Supreme Court Decision on Bannon, Mike Davis Commentary
• [14:34] Artemis II Record, Astronaut Speech, Mission Details

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This episode delivers a blend of urgent international news, legal developments with far-reaching significance, and a historic achievement in human space exploration—themes united by a tone of candid analysis and direct reporting.

Transcript

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[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

Good. Good evening everyone. I'm Megyn Kelly. It's Tuesday, April 7, 2026, and this is your AM update.

[Donald Trump]

Every power plant in Iran will be out of business, Burning, exploding and never to be used again.

[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

A major deadline looming. President Trump warning Iran of devastating consequences if a deal is not reached. Tonight, ICE arresting the nice and grand niece of deceased Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, reportedly living lavishly in America for more than a dec.

[Mike Davis (Attorney, Article 3 Project)]

The Supreme Court's ruling today fixes this great injustice.

[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

A win for former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. The U.S. supreme Court clearing the way to dismiss his conviction for defying a congressional subpoena. And a major milestone in space, the Artemis 2 astronauts reaching farther into deep space than any humans in history. All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM Update.

[Megyn Kelly]

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[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

The clock is ticking to a potentially major escalation in the war with Iran. President Trump setting a hard 8pm Eastern deadline tonight with a strong warning. Reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating attacks on Iranian power plants and bridges. At a press conference yesterday, the President responding to a question about how far he is willing to go if no deal is struck before the deadline. Mr. Trump, painting a stark picture.

[Donald Trump]

Very little is off limits.

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Are there certain kinds of civilian targets, though? I'm thinking.

[Donald Trump]

I don't want to tell you that you would. I don't want to tell you that we have a plan because of the power of our military, where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o' clock tomorrow night, where every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again. And it'll happen over a period of four hours. If we wanted to, we don't want that to happen. We may even get involved with helping them rebuild their nation. And you know what? If that's the case, the last thing we want to do is start with power plants, which are among the most expensive, and bridges. Do I want to destroy their infrastructure? No. It will take them 100 years to rebuild.

[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

Over the past several weeks, the administration cycling through various claims about the state of the operation, frequently claiming we have already, quote one and referring to the Iranian regime as, quote, decimated, saying things are ahead of schedule, while also saying more time is needed to finish the job. The President asked about that, too.

[Megyn Kelly]

So which is it?

[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

Are you winding this down?

[Megyn Kelly]

Are you asking?

[Donald Trump]

I can't tell you. I don't know. I can't tell you. It depends what they do. This is a critical period. They have a period of, well, till tomorrow at 8 o'.

[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

Clock.

[Donald Trump]

I gave them an extension. They asked for an extension of seven days, right? I said, Steve, give them 10 days. 10 days is up, actually, today. So I gave him 11. I guess indirectly, I thought it was inappropriate. The day after Easter. I want to be a nice person. They have until tomorrow. Now we'll see what happens. I can tell you they're negotiating. We think in good faith. We're going to find out. We're getting the help of some incredible countries that want this to be ended because it affects them also. A lot of people are affected by this, but we're giving them. We're giving them till tomorrow, 8 o' clock Eastern Time. And after that, they're going to have no bridges, they're going to have no power plants. Stone Ages. Yeah.

[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

Yesterday afternoon, Iranian state media announcing a nationwide campaign aimed at protecting key infrastructure, with Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Alireza Rahimi calling on young people to form human chains around power plants across Iran. Rahimi writing on X We will stand hand in hand to say attacking public infrastructure is a war crime. These human shields chains expected to form 13 hours before President Trump's deadline to make a deal. The White House has not yet responded to these developments. Last Friday in Los Angeles, ICE agents arresting the niece and grandniece of notorious former Iranian general Qasem Soleimani who have each been living in the US for more than a decade. An American drone strike killing Soleimani in January 2020, who at the time was widely considered the second most powerful figure in Iran. Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rupio revoking the green cards or lawful permanent resident status of 47 year old Hamide Suleimani Afshar and her 25 year old daughter Serena Sadat Hosseini Soleimani's niece Afshar entering the US in 2015 on a tourist visa, according to DHS, then granted asylum in 2019 and in 2021, a green card allowing her to live and work permanently in the US throughout that time, Afshar reportedly maintaining open support for the Iranian regime while also showcasing a lavish lifestyle on social media photos showing her sporting designer brands, taking helicopter rides and posing in luxury vehicles. Despite the highly curated social media accounts depicting a life of luxury, according to the New York Post, Afshar lives in a small accessory dwelling unit which looks like an air conditioned shed behind a two bedroom two bath home she reportedly rents to a tenant. According to the State Department, Afshar referred to America on social media as the quote Great Satan and celebrated attacks on US soldiers in the Middle east in July of last year. Afshar applying for naturalization which would have made her a full US citizen, including the ability to vote and potentially sponsor additional relatives who wanted to move to America. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Afshar traveled back to Iran at least four times since receiving her green card on X. DHS writing quote her trips to Iran illustrate her asylum claims were fraudulent. Soleimani's grand niece Hosseini also entering the US in 2015 but on a student visa in 2019, a judge granting her asylum too and in 2023 a green card her now deleted social media accounts showing her dressed in revealing outfits posing provocatively documenting a jet setting lifestyle. Many of the behaviors exhibited in these posts of course would be illegal in Iran. It is unclear where the funds are from that financed these allegedly extravagant lifestyles. The mother daughter duo now being held in ICE detention per Fox News, pending removal. Afshar's husband not named by the State Department. Also barred from entering the U.S. secretary Rubio posting Saturday to X the Trump administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti American terrorist regimes. Coming up, a major win for former Trump adviser Steve BANNON as the U.S. supreme Court clears the way to dismiss his contempt of Congress conviction and a record breaking journey into deep space. Artemis 2 astronauts observing parts of the moon never before seen by human eyes. Time for some life talk.

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[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

the US Supreme Court on Monday clearing the way for the DOJ to dismiss former Trump advisor Steve Bannon's conviction of for defying a congressional subpoena issued by the now defunct House select committee investigating the January 6 riot. The Democrat led panel which included just two Republicans, the anti Trump representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, issuing that subpoena in 2021 demanding both documents and testimony from Bannon. Bannon refusing to comply, citing executive privilege on the advice of counsel, the then Democrat controlled House voting to hold Bannon in contempt, referring the matter to the Biden doj, which then charged him with two counts of contempt of Congress. A jury Convicting Bannon in 2022, Trump appointed District Judge Carl Nichols, sentencing him to four months in prison and a $6,500 fine. With the prison sentence paused pending appeal. Bannon then appealing that conviction to the U.S. court of Appeals for the D.C. circuit, arguing his failure to comply was not willful as required by the statute because he was acting on the advice of counsel. 19 months later in May 2024, a three judge panel rejecting Bannon's argument and upholding the conviction the district judge ordered Bannon to then report to prison on July 1, 2024, which he did. Bannon continuing to appeal his case, though during and after serving his sentence. Nearly one year after leaving prison. Bannon filing a motion requesting that the US Supreme Court hear his case on the merits. In February of this year, the now Bannon friendly DOJ filing a motion with the Supreme Court in support of Bannon urging the high Court to, quote, remand the case to the District Court for further consideration. The DOJ also filing a motion with the District Court to dismiss this indictment altogether. Yesterday, the U.S. supreme Court in an unsigned order doing just that, vacating the appeals court ruling, upholding Bannon's conviction and sending the case back down for consideration of the DOJ's motion to dismiss this case altogether. It is not yet clear when the lower court will act on that motion. Bannon's attorney, Michael Bushbacker, telling cnn, quote, this case should never have been brought. And we're delighted that the decision affirming Mr. Bannon's unlawful conviction has finally been vacated. We spoke with attorney and founder of the Article 3 project, Mike Davis, who tells us yesterday's decision is an important correction of a fundamentally flawed prosecution.

[Mike Davis (Attorney, Article 3 Project)]

The Supreme Court's ruling today fixes this grave injustice, this grotesque violation of the separation of powers. The Supreme Court is sending this case back to the D.C. district Court. Judge Carl Nichols. And Judge Carl Nichols should dismiss this indictment against Steve Bannon as if no criminal charges were ever brought. This will exonerate Steve Bannon while Bannon

[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

has already served his sentence and will never be able to get that time back. Davis tells us this is far from just a symbolic victory.

[Mike Davis (Attorney, Article 3 Project)]

This is a crucial victory for Article 2, the Constitution, the separation of powers, the presidency. Because this sends a powerful message in the future that you cannot jail presidential advisors for following constitutional executive Privilege going back 250 years to George Washington. This makes it clear that presidents can trust that their advisors will not get called before Congress and have to reveal their confidential, candid discussions, their advice they're giving to the President of the United States.

[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

We asked Davis for the biggest takeaway from yesterday's order.

[Mike Davis (Attorney, Article 3 Project)]

The bottom line is this. The Supreme Court sent a very powerful message today to the D.C. circuit and the D.C. district Court that the Supreme Court is done with these partisan games when it deals with constitutional executive privilege. Unfortunately, Steve Bannon already spent four months in prison. Those who did this to Steve Bannon must be held accountable.

[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

The Artemis 2 crew yesterday making history, officially traveling farther from Earth than any humans, ever surpassing the Apollo 13 record set more than five decades ago, reaching more than 252,000 miles from home. Hear that moment captured by astronaut Jeremy Hansen aboard Artemis 2 from the cabin of Integrity here.

[Jeremy Hansen (Astronaut)]

As we surpass the furthest distance humans have ever traveled from planet Earth, we do so in honoring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors in human space exploration. Exploration we will continue our journey even further into space before Mother Earth succeeds in pulling us back to everything that we hold dear. But we most importantly, choose this moment to challenge this generation and the next to make sure this record is not long lived.

[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

Well said. Yesterday's lunar Flyby lasting about six hours, the Orion capsule carrying four astronauts passing within about 4,000 miles of the moon's surface. In that time, the crew getting a direct view of parts of the lunar surface never before seen by human eyes. Throughout the flyby, crew members taking turns at the windows photographing the surface and annotating what they were seeing. Around 6:44pm Eastern, the capsule moving into a blackout period, temporarily cut off from all communication with Earth. Re establishing contact about 40 minutes later. Now with the fun part complete, the Orion slingshotting back to Earth, a four day journey home. Splashdown expected in the Pacific Ocean just after 8pm Eastern on Friday.

[Megyn Kelly]

Godspeed

[Megyn Kelly (News Anchor)]

and that'll do it for your AM Update. I'm Megyn Kelly. Join me back here for the MK show live on SiriusXM's the Megyn Kelly Channel 111 at noon east on YouTube.com Megan Kelly and on all podcast platforms.

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