Podcast Summary: The Five

Episode: "3 Hours Away From Trump’s Iran Ultimatum"
Date: April 7, 2026
Host: Greg Gutfeld (with Emily Campagno, Harold Ford Jr., Jesse Watters, Dana Perino)

Episode Overview

This episode of "The Five" delves into the escalating crisis between the United States and Iran as a highly publicized 8pm deadline set by President Trump looms just three hours away. The panel unpacks the Iran standoff, critiques the political rhetoric on both sides, tackles California politics and the public spat involving Gavin Newsom’s wife, debates voter ID hypocrisy, and exposes ongoing corruption in homeless services in NYC. The hosts combine news analysis with trademark banter and satirical commentary.

Major Discussion Segments & Insights

1. Trump’s Ultimatum to Iran (00:00–13:47)

Escalating Tensions & Rhetoric

• Greg Gutfeld opens with a Fox News Alert on the rapidly approaching deadline and the tense negotiations:

  "We are less than three hours away from Trump's 8pm deadline for Iran to make a deal or risk a whole civilization dying." (00:08)

  • Pakistan’s Prime Minister is mediating and requesting a two-week extension. Trump has yet to respond.

• J.D. Vance urges Iran to comply:

  "If the Iranians want to exact a certain amount of pain, the United States has the ability to exact much, much greater pain...The ball is in the Iranians' court now." (00:56)

• Panelists discuss allegations of Trump threatening "war crimes."

  • Kamala Harris: "Trump is...threatening to commit war crimes..." (attributed by Greg, 01:26)
  • Harold Ford, Jr.: "It is a war crime. We need to be demanding that Congress convene today and...invoking the 25th Amendment." (01:47)
  • Jesse Watters: "We have a completely unhinged president who is threatening massive war crimes against the Iranian people...some sort of like homicidal psychopath." (01:54)

Trump’s Strategy and Military Actions

• Jesse Watters uses a sports analogy to downplay Trump's rhetoric:

  "Remember when Tyson said he wanted to eat Lennox Lewis's children? I saw it as trash talk...That's what this is all about." (02:27)

  • He argues that such threats force Iran to buckle, claims US strikes are standard operating procedure in modern war, and critiques the double standard regarding bombing infrastructure.

• Emily Campagno reflects on the exhaustion of constant brinkmanship and the difficulties of authentic negotiation with Iran:

  "The Iranians are masters of saying, 'Okay, okay, sorry, give us two weeks.'...And then we're back into this over and over again." (05:10)

• Dana Perino highlights the hypocrisy of those labeling Trump's threats as unprecedented, while ignoring Iran’s actual atrocities:

  "These are people that have been quiet about the butchering that has been taking place...It's not a reflection of him, it's a reflection of them." (11:28)

Analysis of the Situation

• Harold Ford, Jr. underscores how the situation is complicated by high oil prices and geopolitical players like China and Russia benefiting from the chaos. He advocates for diplomacy and emphasizes,

  "The one thing [Iran] has to give up in my mind is, is their ability to develop nuclear weapons. We can deal with everything else but that." (09:08)

Memorable Quotes

• Greg Gutfeld (on Trump’s negotiating style):

  "I've noticed a pattern that as the threats from Trump get more bombastic, the actual bombs get more precise." (07:28)

• On media coverage:

  "Every Democrat and lefty pundit out there talking about war crimes...it's like all of a sudden when you talk about the Jones Act, they're experts about the Jones Act." – Emily Campagno (06:37)

2. Gavin Newsom, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and California Politics (13:47–22:26)

Newsom’s PR Problems

• Jesse Watters introduces the segment on California’s PR campaign for Newsom:

  "California is dropping 19 million on a PR makeover to convince you that his state is in a full blown dumpster fire. But Gab's biggest PR problem isn't the streets, it's the living room." (14:12)

Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s Comments

• Clip played where Jennifer Siebel Newsom criticizes "conservative women that Trump hand picks," claims a "war on all women" is underway, and boasts about giving her sons dolls to teach caregiving. (14:34)

• Dana Perino rebukes Siebel Newsom as "the quintessential Los Angeles, really annoying actress...trying to say 'here's how I'm relevant and here's how I'm different.'" (15:37, 16:14)

• Emily Campagno raises the issue of Newsom’s use of taxpayer funds to promote his wife’s documentaries in public schools, further arguing Siebel Newsom undercuts Democratic narratives on female achievement. (17:09, 17:53)

• Greg Gutfeld satirically likens the Newsoms to televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Baker:

  "They are the Jim and Tammy Faye Baker of politics...they chose politics [instead of religion]...they wield the tools of shame to keep themselves in power." (19:09)

Broader Implications

• Harold Ford, Jr. urges Democrats to focus on policies instead of character attacks on Trump:

  "They point out why they think President Trump is a bad person...that alone is not gonna do it." (20:32)

3. Obama Center Voter ID Debate (23:53–30:28)

Hypocrisy on ID Requirements

• Emily Campagno points out the Obama Center requires ID for free admission, despite Democratic objections to voter ID laws. (23:53)

• Greg Gutfeld jokes about Obama’s birth certificate and security:

  "How is entering Obama's library deserving of more security than voting?" (24:27)

• Jesse Watters riffs on the architecture:

  "The first black president should have a better library...It just looks brutally ugly." (27:45, 28:01)

• Harold Ford, Jr. enters a nuanced discussion about the merits (and potential risks) of nationalizing US elections with uniform standards:

  "We should have uniform ways to register to vote, a uniform way to count votes..." (25:46)

  • He warns against cherry-picking reforms.

4. Corruption & Homelessness in New York City (30:57–36:43)

Exposing the Rot

• Dana Perino highlights public disorder and a "bribery and kickback scheme" involving a company operating homeless shelters for migrants, with city and state officials under federal investigation. (30:57)

• Greg Gutfeld offers a cynical explanation for the persistence of homelessness:

  "If you solve this issue, then the gravy train goes away. Every broken body on the street is a dollar sign." (31:55)

• Jesse Watters explains the political economy of homelessness:

  "You get billions of dollars to spend on helping the homeless, and then the politicians pass out contracts to allies that run the nonprofits, and then the allies skim off the top." (33:17)

• Harold Ford, Jr. notes Utah's success with "housing first" policies, and calls for scaling successful government programs:

  "Look at programs in government...the ones that are working, scale them. The ones that can be fixed, reform them. And the ones that aren't working, rescind them. It's very simple." (34:38)

5. Speed Round: AI & Job Trials, Panel Banter (37:01–39:24)

AI Job Trials

• Harold Ford, Jr. introduces the story:

  "Forget your resume. Thanks to AI, Employers are holding week long in office job trials to see if you're up to the task." (37:01)

• Dana Perino and Jesse Watters liken the process to sports tryouts, arguing in-person trials reveal qualities resumes cannot. (37:16–38:19)

• The segment closes with lighthearted banter about personal habits, job skills, and panelists roasting one another.

Notable/Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On war crimes allegations:

  "When did bombing a bridge turn into a war crime? Every single modern American president has bombed a bridge." – Jesse Watters (03:45)

• Political analogies:

  "Trump reminds me of a guy at a rental car agency demanding a car, and there are no cars there. He wants to see the manager, but the manager's dead." – Greg Gutfeld (04:40) "This is the malaise that just keeps growing because every broken body on the street is a dollar sign." – Greg Gutfeld (31:55)

• On Obama Library:

  "It looks like a Norelco shaver." – Greg Gutfeld (28:07)

• On media double standards and Trump’s strategy:

  "As the threats from Trump get more bombastic, the actual bombs get more precise." – Greg Gutfeld (07:28)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00–13:47] Iran Standoff and Trump’s Ultimatum: Panel analysis, military actions, global stakes
• [13:47–22:26] Gavin Newsom’s California, Jennifer Siebel Newsom controversy
• [23:53–30:28] Obama Center ID rules, voter ID debate, satirical jabs
• [30:57–36:43] Corruption in NYC Homeless Services, systemic problems, calls for genuine reform
• [37:01–39:24] AI-driven job trials, workplace culture, panel banter

Conclusion

This episode reflects the essence of "The Five": sharp takes on political and social controversies, a blend of serious analysis and biting humor, and unfiltered crossfire between panelists. The panel navigates the imminent Iran deadline, the high-stakes rhetoric in Washington, culture war flashpoints on both coasts, and the perils of entrenched bureaucracy—all while keeping the discussion engaging for news junkies and casual listeners alike.