Transcript

Evening Wire: Walz Bows Out & Trump Stares Down Iran

From Morning Wire · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 10 min · 1,747 words · 20 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Evening Wire: Walz Bows Out & Trump Stares Down Iran", an episode of Morning Wire published January 5, 2026 (10 min, about 1,747 words). It mentions 23 people, works and ideas, including Donald Trump, Daily Wire (company), Venezuela, Celia Flores, fraud.

What this episode is about

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has withdrawn from his re-election bid amid ongoing fraud scandals in the state, citing the need to focus on governance rather than political disputes. Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife have pleaded not guilty to serious criminal charges in a New York court, asserting his claim to leadership and alleging kidnapping.

Key takeaways

  • Tim Walz's exit reveals Minnesota's political heat—Trump's fraud claims are no jokes, but surely not everyone's cup of tea.
  • Maduro claims 'prisoner of war' status while juggling narco-terror charges; wishful thinking doesn't make him Houdini.
  • Starlink's 30-day free internet blitz in Venezuela: Elon Musk could be the hero in a dystopian drama, or just a savvy businessman.
  • US child vaccine schedule shifts from 18 to 11 diseases; a public trust play or a potential vaccine mishmash for parents?
  • Trump's Iran warnings are like a bad sequel—tension high, predictable plot. Will this movie ever change?

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 3:00: Venezuela, Donald Trump, Daily Wire (company), Celia Flores
  2. – 6:00: Donald Trump, Daily Wire (company), Venezuela, Pete Hegsth
  3. – 9:00: Donald Trump, Daily Wire (company), fraud, fraud scandal
  4. – 10:01: Daily Wire (company)

Notable quotes from "Evening Wire: Walz Bows Out & Trump Stares Down Iran"

  • I'm Georgia How with Daily Wire executive editor John Bickley. It's Monday, January 5th, and this is Evening Wire.
    about Daily Wire (company) · at
  • About the election while I focus on the work that's in front of me for the next year. Walls has faced calls to resign amid numerous fraud scandals in the state, including cases…
    about fraud · at
  • Spanish, quote, I am a prisoner of war. The next court hearing is set for March 17th. President Trump has already set some criteria for elections in Venezuela. When asked how soon elections could be held, here's how the president responded.
    about Venezuela · at
  • Companies related to oil production and refinement saw their stocks jump, including Valero, Chevron, Exon Mobile, and Kico Phillips. Defense stocks rose as well, and the Wall Street Journal.
    about oil production · at
  • Included an image of Trump alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Radcliffe. accompanied with the Farsy language warning, Don't play with President…
    about John Radcliffe · at
  • According to Fox News, Secretary of War Pete Hegsth is referring Kelly's rank and retirement pay to the Secretary of the Navy for review, citing quote sedicious statements. Kelly retired from.
    about Pete Hegsth · at
  • Unable to locate him. It remains unclear whether the United States will take further action, though President Trump has previously pledged to ensure the safety of Christians in the region.
    about Donald Trump · at
  • Wire senior editor Joel Needler has the latest. The scandal centers on the misuse of funds from a welfare program known as temporary assistance for needy families.…
    about welfare fraud · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Donald Trump — Person · Referenced political leader / core subject across · 5 mentions · first at
    He is cited as driving a crackdown on fraud in Minnesota, setting criteria for elections in Venezuela, and issuing warnings toward Iran and pledges regarding Christians in Nigeria.
  • Celia Flores — Person · Referenced defendant in Venezuela case · 2 mentions · first at
    She is described as pleading not guilty and facing bribery-related charges tied to arranging a meeting between a drug trafficking organization and the Venezuelan government.
    Conspiracy and possession of and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. Flores is charged with accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and…
  • Pete Hegsth — Person · Referenced U.S. defense official in Mark Kelly sto · 1 mention · first at
    He is described as referring Mark Kelly’s rank/retirement pay for review and calling Kelly’s video "seditious," prompting Kelly’s rebuttal.
  • Ted Diosi Jr. — Person · Referenced defendant in Mississippi welfare fraud · 1 mention · first at
    He is identified as the defendant choosing trial in a TANF-related welfare fraud scheme, accused of sham contracts and personal profit.
    While most of those indicted in the scheme have agreed to plea deals, one defendant, Ted Diosi Jr. has chosen to take his case to trial. Debasi, a former WWE wrestler, is accused of entering into sham contracts with nonprofit.
  • Maria Corino Machado — Person · Referenced opposition leader in Venezuela · 1 mention · first at
    Trump is quoted saying she would not win an election without his support, while also stating he likes her, making her relevant to the elections narrative.
    Sunday, quote, We should run the country with law and order. and added that the opposition leader, Maria Corino Machado, would not win an election without his support, though he quote likes her very much.
  • John Radcliffe — Person · Referenced U.S. intelligence official in Iran warn · 1 mention · first at
    He is included in the State Department’s warning imagery and identified as CIA Director, tying intelligence posture to messaging toward Iran.
  • Cameron Arand — Person · Referenced reporter · 1 mention · first at
    He delivers the segment on Tim Walls withdrawing and the Minnesota fraud-scandal context.
    Candidate Tim Walls abruptly pulled out of the race for Minnesota governor this year. Daily Wire political reporter Cameron Arand has more.
  • Zach Juul — Person · Referenced reporter · 1 mention · first at
    He reports on the Maduro/Flores court appearance and charges, including defense-team details.
    Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores appeared in court today in New York City. Daily Wire reporter Zach Juul has been keeping an eye on the trial. He's…
  • Virginia Crouta — Person · Referenced editor / reporter · 1 mention · first at
    She delivers the Mark Kelly segment, including the alleged military-justice implications and responses.
    Face censure for his part in a video pointedly reminding service members to refuse illegal orders. Daily Wire senior editor Virginia Crouta has the details.

Companies & orgs

  • Daily Wire (company) — Company · Publisher / newsroom producing the episode · 6 mentions · first at
    The show is branded as a Daily Wire production and multiple Daily Wire editors/reporters deliver the segments.
  • Islamic State — Company · Referenced terrorist organization · 1 mention · first at
    It is cited as the target of limited U.S. air strikes in Nigeria amid escalating attacks impacting Christian communities.
    Continued to escalate. Diwir reporter Tim Pierce has the latest. Despite limited US air strikes against Islamic State terrorists in Nigeria on Christmas Day, the village of Papiri, home of St.

Concepts & topics

  • fraud — Concept · Cross-cutting theme · 1 mention · first at
    Fraud is central to the Minnesota political story and the Mississippi welfare case, framed as a growing public intolerance for government-related fraud.
  • fraud scandal — Concept · Recurring political/legal theme · 3 mentions · first at
    Fraud scandals are used to explain Tim Walls’ political pressure in Minnesota and to draw parallels to the Mississippi TANF case.
    About the election while I focus on the work that's in front of me for the next year. Walls has faced calls to resign amid numerous fraud scandals in the state, including cases…
  • welfare fraud — Concept · Core topic in Mississippi trial story · 1 mention · first at
    The Mississippi case is framed as a large-scale welfare fraud scheme involving misuse of TANF funds and sham contracts.
  • temporary assistance for needy families — Concept · Program at center of Mississippi fraud case · 1 mention · first at
    TANF is named as the welfare program whose funds were allegedly misused to enrich administrators and finance unrelated projects.
    Wire senior editor Joel Needler has the latest. The scandal centers on the misuse of funds from a welfare program known as temporary assistance for needy families.…
  • oil production — Concept · Economic/market theme in Venezuela story · 1 mention · first at
    U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s oil industry is linked to market reactions and stock movements in oil-related companies.
  • military justice — Concept · Legal framework referenced in Mark Kelly story · 1 mention · first at
    It is cited to argue that Mark Kelly remains accountable due to his retired status and pension, underpinning the censure/review narrative.
    And sedicious video. As a retired Navy captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice. Kelly sniped back in…
  • Christian communities — Concept · Humanitarian/security theme in Nigeria story · 1 mention · first at
    The Nigeria segment centers on escalating attacks against Christian communities and references Trump’s pledge to ensure their safety.
    Dozens of villagers were killed or kidnapped in Nigeria this week as attacks on Christian communities continued to escalate. Diwir reporter Tim Pierce has the latest. Despite…
  • Second Amendment — Concept · Core legal concept in firearms ruling · 1 mention · first at
    It is the constitutional basis cited in the appellate decision striking down California’s open-carry restrictions.
    A federal appeals court has shot down California's ban on openly carrying firearms in most of the state, ruling it violates the Second Amendment. In a 2 to1 decision, the 9inth…
  • COVID-19 — Concept · Referenced public-health context · 1 mention · first at
    It is invoked to explain why health officials aim to restore public trust when changing the child vaccine schedule.
    Of 18, aligning most closely with Denmark's approach. Health officials say the move is aimed at restoring public trust after the COVID pandemic, not discouraging vaccination.…

Places & events

  • Venezuela — Place · Primary foreign-policy setting · 5 mentions · first at
    The episode covers the arrest/court appearance of Nicolás Maduro and Celia Flores, U.S. involvement, oil-market impacts, and Starlink internet access during stabilization.
  • Nigeria — Place · Setting for security/terrorism story · 1 mention · first at
    The episode reports killings/kidnappings and attacks on Christian communities, mentioning Islamic State terrorists and limited U.S. air strikes.
    Continued to escalate. Diwir reporter Tim Pierce has the latest. Despite limited US air strikes against Islamic State terrorists in Nigeria on Christmas Day, the village of Papiri, home of St.
  • Mississippi — Place · Setting for welfare fraud trial · 1 mention · first at
    The episode previews a federal trial in Mississippi involving alleged misuse of TANF funds and parallels to Minnesota fraud scandals.
    A federal trial is set to begin tomorrow in Mississippi in connection with a large-scale welfare fraud scheme. Daily Wire senior editor Joel Needler has the latest. The scandal centers on the.

Full transcript with timestamps

Minnesota Governor Tim Walls bows out of his re-election bid. Maduro pleads not guilty to narotism charges. And the US child vaccine schedule gets a makeover. I'm Georgia How with Daily Wire executive editor John Bickley. It's Monday, January 5th, and this is Evening Wire.

Former Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walls abruptly pulled out of the race for Minnesota governor this year. Daily Wire political reporter Cameron Arand has more.

In a statement released this morning, Walls said Minnesota has been unfairly targeted by the Trump administration's crackdown on ongoing fraud scandals in the state, which we've covered on the show. Here's Walls at a press conference today. Even as we make progress in the fight against the fraudsters, we now see an organized group of political actors seeking to take advantage of a crisis. Donald Trump and his allies in Washington and in St. Paul and online want to make our state a colder, meaner place. Election years have a way of ramping up the politics at a time when we simply can't afford more of that in Minnesota. So, I've decided to step out of this race and I'll let others worry about the election while I focus on the work that's in front of me for the next year. Walls has faced calls to resign amid numerous fraud scandals in the state, including cases ranging from the fake children's charity, Feeding Our

Future, and autism treatment fraud schemes prosecuted by the Justice Department.

Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores appeared in court today in New York City. Daily Wire reporter Zach Juul has been keeping an eye on the trial. He's here with the latest. Both pleaded not guilty to the charges presented and Maduro claimed that he is still the rightful leader of Venezuela and had been kidnapped. Maduro is charged with naroterrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and possession of and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. Flores is charged with accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and arranging a meeting between a drug trafficking organization and the Venezuelan government. The lawyer representing Flores argued that she suffered quote significant injuries during the raid and asked the court to grant her a medical evaluation. As an aside, the attorney who negotiated the release of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange will join

Maduro's defense team. As Maduro was leaving the courtroom, he said in Spanish, quote, "I am a prisoner of war." The next court hearing is set for March 17th. President Trump has already set some criteria for elections in Venezuela. When asked how soon elections could be held, here's how the president responded.

Well, I think we're looking more at getting it fixed, getting it ready first because it's a mess. It's been horribly run. So, we're going to have the big oil companies go in and they're going to fix the infrastructure and they're going to invest money. We're going to just take care of the country. We're going to cherish the country.

He also told the New York Post on Sunday, quote, "We should run the country with law and order." and added that the opposition leader, Maria Corino Machado, would not win an election without his support, though he quote likes her very much.

The news of Maduro's capture and US involvement in Venezuela's oil industry has hit the markets. Oil futures initially fell before climbing. Companies related to oil production and refinement saw their stocks jump, including Valero, Chevron, Exon Mobile, and Kico Phillips. Defense stocks rose as well, and the Wall Street Journal reports the Dow Jones seemed quote headed for a record close following morning trading.

Starlink will provide free high-speed internet service to Venezuelans for the next 30 days as the country stabilizes. That's according to a post on X last night from owner Elon Musk. Musk has been a vocal supporter of the operation in Venezuela, posting on Saturday, quote, "Long overdue prosperity is coming for the people of Venezuela." Starlink is SpaceX's satellite internet service.

In the wake of the Maduro operation, the Trump administration issued a not so subtle warning directly to Iran on Sunday. Daily Wire reporter Cassie Akiva has more. The State Department posted a series of ominous messages on its Farsy language X account, including quote, "President Trump is a man of action. If you didn't know, now you know." The post included an image of Trump alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Radcliffe. accompanied with the Farsy language warning, "Don't play with President Trump." The messages come as the Iranian regime conducted missile tests and continued to crack down on demonstrators around the country. As we covered this morning, the Islamic regime has thus far defied President Donald Trump's call for a stop to violence. The US vaccine schedule for children is getting a major overhaul.

For the first time in decades, the Department of Health and Human Services is recommending fewer shots for kids. Under the new guidance, the CDC now advises vaccines for 11 diseases instead of 18, aligning most closely with Denmark's approach. Health officials say the move is aimed at restoring public trust after the COVID pandemic, not discouraging vaccination. While critics worry this change may cause confusion, the Trump administration says that all previously recommended vaccines will remain available and covered by insurance and parents can still choose the full schedule.

Democratic Senator Mark Kelly may soon face censure for his part in a video pointedly reminding service members to refuse illegal orders. Daily Wire senior editor Virginia Crouta has the details. According to Fox News, Secretary of War Pete Hegsth is referring Kelly's rank and retirement pay to the Secretary of the Navy for review, citing quote sedicious statements. Kelly retired from the Navy as a captain, but could be downgraded as a result of the review. Hgsth said, quote, "Six weeks ago, Senator Mark Kelly and five other members of Congress released a reckless and sedicious video. As a retired Navy captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice." Kelly sniped back in a post on X calling Hegs Seth quote the most unqualified secretary of defense in our country's history and labeled the censure and review as outrageous and

unamerican. Dozens of villagers were killed or kidnapped in Nigeria this week as attacks on Christian communities continued to escalate. Diwir reporter Tim Pierce has the latest. Despite limited US air strikes against Islamic State terrorists in Nigeria on Christmas Day, the village of Papiri, home of St. Mary's Catholic School was attacked days later, leaving at least 37 people dead, according to local residents. The Regional Catholic Dascese reports that attackers raided the school's church, stealing money and destroying religious items. The asalants were reportedly searching for the local priest, but were unable to locate him. It remains unclear whether the United States will take further action, though President Trump has previously pledged to ensure the safety of Christians in the region.

Two bar owners in Switzerland are now under criminal investigation after their bar burst into flames during a New Year's Eve party. Officials say sparkler candles got too close to ceiling insulation, causing a rapid fire in the crowded basement. At least 40 people died and 119 people suffered injuries in the blaze, many of them teenagers. In Switzerland, the drinking age is 16 and the bar was popular with teens. Here's one young man who felt the weight of his near miss experience. It's so close to us that we might have gone there. There was a significant chance that we we ended up dead because we decided to go party.

The bars two operators are suspected of homicide by negligence, causing bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence.

A federal trial is set to begin tomorrow in Mississippi in connection with a large-scale welfare fraud scheme. Daily Wire senior editor Joel Needler has the latest. The scandal centers on the misuse of funds from a welfare program known as temporary assistance for needy families. Investigators say money intended to support struggling families was instead used to enrich nonprofit administrators and finance unrelated projects, including approximately $5 million for a new volleyball stadium. While most of those indicted in the scheme have agreed to plea deals, one defendant, Ted Diosi Jr. has chosen to take his case to trial. Debasi, a former WWE wrestler, is accused of entering into sham contracts with nonprofit organizations and personally profiting by more than $1 million. The case mirrors similar fraud scandals in Minnesota and underscores a growing public sentiment that government fraud

will no longer be tolerated. A federal appeals court has shot down California's ban on openly carrying firearms in most of the state, ruling it violates the Second Amendment. In a 2 to1 decision, the 9inth US Circuit Court of Appeals said the law, which applied to counties with more than 200,000 residents, effectively barred open carry for about 95% of Californians. Writing for the majority, Judge Lawrence van Djk said the historical records shows open carry was widely protected at the nation's founding and that California failed to justify the restrictions under Supreme Court president. and all paws on deck at a Virginia airport in an effort to reunite a lost teddy bear with its owner. I did not write that. Officials at Norfolk International Airport shared a photo of the plush toy sporting pajamas and bunny slippers after it was turned into a lost and found late last month. A photo shared on the airport's

Facebook page quickly went viral, drawing thousands of shares and comments from users hoping to help. Some suggested the bear may be from a Build-A-Bear and could be traced through a manufacturer program. Airport officials say they're hopeful the attention will help bring the stuffed animal home.

Those are your drive home updates this evening. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And in case you missed it earlier today, we covered some major stories, including new details coming to light about the capture of Maduro, nationwide protests boiling over in Iran, and Mom Donnie beginning his term as mayor with fresh controversy. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of Morning Wire.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Evening Wire: Walz Bows Out & Trump Stares Down Iran"?

Georgia How (Host), John Bickley (Host), Tim Walls (Guest), Cameron Arand (Guest), Zach Juul (Guest), Cassie Akiva (Guest), Virginia Crouta (Guest), Joel Needler (Guest).

What is "Evening Wire: Walz Bows Out & Trump Stares Down Iran" about?

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has withdrawn from his re-election bid amid ongoing fraud scandals in the state, citing the need to focus on governance rather than political disputes. Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife have pleaded not guilty to serious criminal charges in a New York court, asserting his claim to leadership and alleging kidnapping.

What is mentioned in this Morning Wire episode?

23 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Donald Trump, Daily Wire (company), Venezuela, Celia Flores, fraud, fraud scandal. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Evening Wire: Walz Bows Out & Trump Stares Down Iran"?

The episode runs 10 min; the transcript is about 1,747 words in 20 timestamped sections.

More from Morning Wire

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 24, 2026.