Morning Wire - Evening Wire: USA Grabs Gold & Ghislaine Pleads The Fifth | 2.9.26

Episode Date: February 9, 2026

Team USA grabs more gold medals, Ghislaine Maxwell invokes the 5th Amendment, and TPUSA’s halftime show racks up big numbers. Get the facts first with Evening Wire. - - - Ep. 2624 - - - Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3  - - - Today’s Sponsor: Lean - Get 20% off when you enter code WIRE at https://TakeLean.com - - - Privacy Policy: https://www.dailywire.com/privacy morning wire,morning wire podcast,the morning wire podcast,Georgia Howe,John Bickley,daily wire podcast,podcast,news podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Team USA grabs more golds. Galane Maxwell invokes the Fifth Amendment and TPUSA's halftime show racks up big numbers. I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire, Executive Editor John Bickley. It's Monday, February 9th, and this is Evening Wire. The U.S. is off to a strong start at the 2026 Winter Olympics with some gold medals already secured. In the women's downhill and alpine skiing, Breezy Johnson got the gold. The American mixed team captured gold in figure skating. They're led by skaters. including Madison Chalk, Evan Bates, Alyssa Lou, and Ilya Malinin. Since 1924, Team USA has won a total of 330 medals in the Winter Olympics, including 114 golds. The U.S. is currently in third place for gold medals for the Milan Games overall behind Norway and Switzerland.

We're on day nine of the search for Nancy Guthrie. Daily Wire reporter Lyndon Blake has the latest. Monday afternoon, Savannah Guthrie released a new video pleading for her mother's return. turn. This was the fourth video from the family and the first video that appears to be unscripted. This video is more of a plea for the public's help in finding 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie instead of a direct message to the alleged author of a ransom note. Here's a little bit of what Savannah said. We believe our mom is still out there. We need your help. Law enforcement is working tirelessly around the clock trying to bring her home, trying to find her. So I'm coming on just to ask you, not just for your prayers, but no matter where you are,

even if you're far from Tucson. 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. The deadline for the $6 million Bitcoin ransom was Monday at 5, Mountain Time. At this time, the Pima County Sheriff's Office say they do not have a suspect or person of interest in this case. We're breaking down every detail of this case in the Daily Wire series, Finding Nancy Guthrie, a Daily Wire true crime investigation. It's on Spotify Apple and the Daily Wire platforms. Jeffrey Epstein's longtime associate Galane Maxwell invoked the Fifth Amendment today in response to nearly every question by the House Oversight Committee.

The Fifth Amendment shields individuals from answering questions that may incriminate them. 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. British Prime Minister Keir Starmor's Chief of Staff fell on his sword over the weekend, resigning over alleged Epstein links. Here's Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce with the story. The Prime Minister's chief of staff resigned on Sunday amid increasing pressure on Starmer.

Stammer to step aside. This comes after the latest trove of Epstein files and emails linked one of his former ambassadors to the late convicted pedophile. Emails showed that former UK ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson appeared to share confidential information with Epstein during the 2008 financial crisis. Other files revealed that Epstein paid Mandelson $75,000 between 2003 and 2004. In a statement, Starmor's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney took responsibility for Mandelson's appointment. Starmer also released a statement showing appreciation for McSweeney's work, saying, quote, Our party and I owe him a debt of gratitude and I thank him for his service. British cabinet minister Pat McFadden said that blaming McSweeney for Mandelson's appointment is a mistake,

saying, quote, it's a prime ministerial appointment and prime ministers have to take responsibility for the decisions that they make. Conservative Japanese Prime Minister Sinai Takahichi has led her party to a landslide victory in this week's elections. She now has a clear mandate from the people to strengthen ties with the U.S., increased defense spending, and kickstart Japan's economy. The Prime Minister took a major gamble calling national elections just three months into her tenure. She was hoping to capitalize on a growing conservative movement in Japan, and it paid off. Her coalition won overwhelmingly, now holding 354 of the 465 seats in the lower House of Parliament. That's more than a three-quarters majority. President Trump congratulated Takeichi in her victory, posting to truth's social quote,

Sinai's bold and wise decision to call for an election paid off big time. Hong Kong's Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, adding friction to U.S.-China ties. Daily Wire's senior editor, Joel Needler, has the story. Lie is the publisher behind the popular Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily. The sentence was justified under a national security law widely used to crack down on critics of the Chinese Communist Party. Lai, a 78-year-old Chinese-born British citizen, was convicted in December of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and published seditious material. Lai was accused of supporting the massive pro-democracy protests that broke out in Hong Kong in 2019 and has been detained since August of 2020, spending more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement.

In December, President Trump said this about the case. 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. Six former Apple Daily employees were also sentenced Monday, receiving prison terms ranging from six to ten years. The U.S. State Department condemned the sentencing and called for lies release. U.S. forces captured a Venezuelan oil tanker in the Indian ocean after a month-long pursuit. That's the eighth tanker captured since the Trump administration began enforcing the embargo in January.

Secretary of War Hegg Seth issued a statement on social media saying, quote, 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. This episode is sponsored by Brickhouse Nutrition. You've probably heard about those weight loss injections that everyone's been talking about. And for good reason. The results can be pretty incredible.

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But once lean into the picture, I was able to rein in my cravings. Let's get you started with 20% off and free rush shipping so you can add lean to your healthy diet and exercise plan. Visit takeleen.com and enter Wire for your discount. That's promo code wire at takelein.com today. Anthony Aguilar is now running for political office as a Green Party candidate. Daily Wire Foreign Affairs reporter Cassie Akiva has the story. The former Green Beret went viral last July with his claim that he saw a young Gossin boy named Amir, quote, gunned down by Israel's military at a Trump administration backed Gaze.

a humanitarian foundation aid site. His detailed story landed him spots on major media outlets like NBC News and prominent podcasts, including twice on the Tucker Carlson show. However, reporting from the Daily Wire later confirmed that the incident never happened. Most importantly, the child he claims was shot dead in front of him is alive. Video from that day contradicts virtually all the details from Aguilar's story, prompting NBC News to take down the reporting. Despite the public implosion of the story, Aguilar is now touting his whistleblower status as a reason to vote for him. He is competing to represent North Carolina's 13th congressional district. Vice President J.D. Vance is in Armenia today. Daily Wire reporter's actual has the details.

Vance became the highest ranking U.S. official to ever visit Armenia while in office, joining Armenian Prime Minister Nicole Pashignan to sign a civil nuclear agreement as part of the Trump administration's efforts to secure peace in the South Caucasus. The agreement promises $9 billion in potential U.S. investment in Armenia, including an $11 million shipment of U.S. drones to the South Caucasus country. Vance called the agreement a, quote, win-win that will provide additional energy exports for the United States, as well as economic development and security for Armenia. The civil nuclear agreement marks a major shift for Armenia,

which has long relied on Russia for its energy and security. Here's Vance speaking earlier today alongside Peschignon. We're not just making peace for Armenia. 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. Big news from the Big Apple as hundreds are without power in Brooklyn. Meanwhile, New York City mayor's war on Mamdani is being blasted for defending a knife-wielding suspect. Daily Wire reporter Breckistole has the story. Brooklyn residents supplied with electricity by Con Ed found themselves in the dark and cold late Saturday all the way through this morning, with time to restore being pushed back repeatedly.

It's currently three-degree weather in the city, with windshell making it feel closer to negative 14 degrees. In Bushwick alone, over a thousand residents are affected, with many seeking shelter in hotels or one of the city's warming centers. But that's not the only issue New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is forced to defend this week. Momdani is also facing criticism for siding with a knife-wielding suspect who allegedly charged police. The family of 22-year-old Jabez Chakra Borty called 911 when he was having a mental health episode, hoping to have him involuntarily removed from the home. Chakra Borty has schizophrenia, the family said. Two officers arrived and were let into the home where Chakraborty walked out from his room and grabbed a large kitchen knife.

He then ignored warnings and approached an officer who opened fire, hitting him four times. Momdani visited Chakraborti in the hospital and later said this at a press conference. Jabez needs mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution by a district attorney. Men's telehealth company Hems has dropped a fat loss pill from their catalog after an FDA warning. Here's Daily Wire political reporter Cameron Arcambe with the details. Online telehealth company Hems and hers has reversed course on. selling a compounded pill form of the week OV, GLP1 weight loss drug, following warnings from the FDA. With a proposed price tag of $49, Hymn's compounded drug would have been the cheapest GLP1 in the market.

But the FDA has never tested or approved the drug in pill form. Compounding in which pharmacies mix ingredients for specialized medicines or to copy a drug but at different dosages has flourished as Americans chase cheaper prices for drugs. The practice is legal under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in certain circumstances, but the FDA and HHS under RFK Jr. have expressed their intention to restrict GLP1 ingredients used in compounded drugs, citing concerns over quality, safety, and potential violations of federal law. F-22 fighter planes were pulled from the Super Bowl flyover and rerouted at the last moment for

operational assignments. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Presta Giacomo has more. F-22 Raptors, which were originally slated to participate in this weekend Super Bowl flyover, were polled last minute for operational assignments. While officials declined to provide specifics, the decision comes amid heightened U.S. military activity across multiple theaters. American aircraft have conducted recent strikes against ISIS targets in Syria, and F-22s played a critical role last year in Operation Midnight Hammer, the B-2 bomber-led campaign against Iranian nuclear facilities. The F-22 also participated in Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela, establishing U.S. dominance in the airspace over Caracas. Officials also emphasized that Super Bowl flyovers

do not require additional taxpayer funding. The flights are conducted as part of scheduled training, which allows air crews to participate precise timing, coordination, and maintenance recovery under real-world conditions. And the TPSA-All-American halftime show outperformed expert. with 6.1 million people tuning in to watch on the YouTube live stream, another 1 million watching on Charlie Kirk's YouTube, plus unspecified numbers on the other partner sites, including Rumble and Daily Wire Plus. The lineup for the show included Kid Rock, Brantley, Gilbert, Lee Bryce, and Gabby Barrett. The show aired at the same time as Super Bowl 60s official halftime show featuring Bad Bunny and advertised a patriotic, family-friendly alternative.

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 anti-ice protests reaching the Winter Olympics, Nancy Guthrie's family offering to pay her $6 million ransom, and a dramatic downsizing at The Washington Post. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of Morning Wire.