Podcast Summary: The Five — "NATO On Notice"

FOX News Podcasts | March 17, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode unpacks several hot-button topics including President Trump’s fiery approach to NATO, the aftermath of U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran, an intense debate on voter ID laws, Texas politics featuring Democrat James Talarico, the culture clash over body positivity, and even a lighthearted chat about the etiquette of the “Irish Goodbye.” True to its style, "The Five" mixes partisan banter, sharp analysis, and offbeat humor while highlighting divisions in American and international politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump, NATO, and the Iran Conflict

Timestamps: 01:03–10:59

• Trump’s Approach to NATO
  Greg Gutfeld opens with Trump’s frustration at NATO’s refusal to support U.S. operations securing the Strait of Hormuz. Trump is quoted emphasizing U.S. independence and criticizing NATO’s lack of tangible support.

  “We don't need any help actually. In fact we just put out a notice...very important that we take out the nuclear threat from Iran. And we've done that very strongly, very powerfully. So everyone agrees with us, but they don't want to help.”
  — Donald Trump (01:35)

• Assassination of Iranian Officials
  Greg and the panel discuss breaking news: Israeli and U.S. strikes kill top Iranian officials, boasting about U.S. and Israeli capabilities.

  “The IDF confirming that a top Iranian official who was openly taunting America just days ago got killed in an overnight strike.”
  — Greg Gutfeld (02:10)

  “It's an evil group.”
  — Donald Trump (02:21)

• Who Did Trump Speak to?
  Trump claims a former President confided regrets about not acting against Iran. Gutfeld and the panel play guessing games, but Trump remains coy.

  “I don't want to say because Barack Obama, a member of a party. A member of a party, and they have Trump derangement syndrome. But it's somebody that happens to like me.”
  — Donald Trump (02:59)

• NATO's Rebuff and U.S. Strategy
  Joey Jones supports a restrained approach — not “bombing NATO” but focusing military resources on true threats. He highlights a need for allied assistance, particularly with countermine operations, given U.S. capability gaps.

  “...as an America first friendly person, I don't blame NATO for not wanting to get involved. That doesn't bother me. I also don't blame our president...but the problem is that little bit of help we need, we actually truly need.”
  — Joey Jones (03:34)

• Media Portrayal vs. Military Reality
  Dana Perino and Emily Compagno cite Al Jazeera’s unusual admission that the war is going much better for the U.S./Israel than critics claim. They emphasize systematic degradation of Iranian military capacity, and the intelligence edge of Western forces.

  “Militarily, looks like things going very well. Like when you wake up in the morning, you find out, oh, the next one's gone, and the next one...so Israel and the United States have exquisite intelligence inside the country.”
  — Dana Perino (04:51)

• Long-Term Uncertainty
  Jessica Tarlov challenges the optimism, questioning if victories will be lasting. She points to Iran’s ability to rebuild and warns about asymmetric warfare that can persist long after current battles.

  “What happens in terms of the Iranians rebuilding their infrastructure, their missile and drone infrastructure?...The facts on the ground are pretty good...but what happens there in terms of oil, which is still their biggest asset?...”
  — Jessica Tarlov (09:21)

  Joey Jones responds by noting that “our gas prices go up, their power goes out. Other people are going to have to be concerned about this.” (11:02)

2. Voter ID and the SAVE Act Debate

Timestamps: 13:26–24:39

• The Partisan Divide
  Emily Compagno recaps the Senate split over the SAVE Act and the Democratic framing of voter ID as “Jim Crow 2.0” voter suppression, despite public support for ID requirements.

  “Right now, his party is throwing a fit over an issue that the majority of Americans already agree on...”
  — Emily Compagno (13:26)

  Chuck Schumer’s soundbite reinforces Dem resistance:

  “MAGG Republicans want to bog down the Senate over a debate on voter suppression...The SAVE act is not a voter ID bill. It is in every sense a voter suppression bill...”
  — Chuck Schumer (13:59)

• Republican Position
  Gutfeld argues that opposition to photo ID is opportunistic and accuses Democrats of being on the “wrong side” of every issue.

  “...once you move to the, once you moved out, somebody else moved in and they don't know what to do, so they keep choosing the wrong side. To this day, the Dems can't bring forth one person who's being suppressed because everybody...has an ID, a photo ID of some kind.”
  — Greg Gutfeld (15:00)

• Practical vs. Political
  Dana Perino urges Republicans to “land the plane” and move on, noting that most Americans (and even Western states) favor some form of ID — "Republicans own this issue, won this issue... pin the tail on the donkey, own the issue and move on..." (16:41)

• Democratic Counterarguments
  Jessica Tarlov attempts to highlight real-life barriers to strict proof-of-citizenship requirements (passport, birth certificate)—reminding that not all IDs are equally accessible.

  "It was a voter ID bill, I think you could get a lot of Democrats...but when you talk about proof of citizenship, that comes one of two ways...passport, which only 50% of Americans have, it costs $165..."
  — Jessica Tarlov (20:59)

• Skepticism and Bureaucracy
  The panel questions whether such barriers are truly suppressive, with Gutfeld remaining unconvinced:

  “You guys have never produced. You spent years talking about a person who could not get an id.”
  — Greg Gutfeld (24:00)

3. Texas Senate Race — James Talarico and Progressive Branding

Timestamps: 25:55–34:14

• Talarico Under Scrutiny
  Joey Jones and Greg Gutfeld criticize Talarico for allegedly extreme and “woke” stances, focusing on past statements about race, gender, and immigration.

  "...man who's on the record saying that his white skin gives him immunity against the virus of racism and that white men are terrorists and illegals are just undocumented Americans.”
  — Joey Jones (25:55)

• Jessica Tarlov's Interview Perspective
  Tarlov defends Talarico, arguing Republicans are using out-of-context clips and that he's being painted unfairly as a radical.

  “He had a line...they care about pronouns or they care about prices...you can be pro immigrant and also pro security...”
  — Jessica Tarlov (27:04)

• Media, Makeovers, and “Belief Division”
  Gutfeld paints Talarico as intolerant — someone for whom “belief is more important than behavior.”

  “The problem with Talarico, and I'm surprised that, Jessica, you don't see this...if you don't believe as he does, you are evil...”
  — Greg Gutfeld (29:23)

• Packaging vs. Substance
  Emily Compagno likens Talarico to “the goblin version of Pete Buttigieg,” critiquing what she sees as platitudes and lack of substance for real-world governance.

  “Everything he says is devoid of substance and the packaging around it is things like love your neighbor no matter what...”
  — Emily Compagno (32:27)

4. Body Positivity vs. Medical Science

Timestamps: 35:09–37:58

• Jillian Michaels vs. Body Positivity Movement
  Dana Perino introduces Michaels’ viral debate: “Obesity is not healthy, and pretending it is puts lives at risk.”

  • Gutfeld is characteristically blunt:

    “Body positivity activist is eight syllables for fat. It’s always been a destructive movement when you base your identity on victimhood and a flaw or whatever...”
    — Greg Gutfeld (35:45)

  • Compagno argues the movement’s original intent is distorted:

    “...you are healthy. You just might not be thin. And now it's been distorted to be like, anything goes. Even endangering your heart, your life, and all of your loved ones who don't want to see you die...”
    — Emily Compagno (36:39)

  • Tarlov adds personal anecdotes about medical terminology and the reality of “geriatric pregnancies.” The panel agrees the factual link between obesity and health cannot be ignored, even if language is contentious.

5. The "Irish Goodbye": Polite or Rude?

Timestamps: 38:55–40:44

• Dana, Joey, and Emily all weigh in on the debated social custom of leaving events without saying goodbye.
  • Dana contends it’s “a gem” given busy lives.
  • Joey prefers not to attend at all: “The only thing better than Irish goodbye is an Irish hello where you just don't go ever at all.” (39:34)
  • Emily believes context matters — it’s rude at intimate gatherings, acceptable at big work events.
• Emily also highlights concerns about the potentially problematic origins of the term.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The previous leaders kicked the can down the road.”
  — Greg Gutfeld (09:02)

• “All those Trump supporters that were demonized, who you knew were good people...It didn’t matter what their behavior was like. It was that their belief was evil. This is what happens with progressives.”
  — Greg Gutfeld (29:23)

• “Happy to eat this one.”
  — Jessica Tarlov, about Dems owning the voter ID issue (18:30)

• “Body positivity activist is eight syllables for fat. … It positions you outside the norm…you get angry and alienated.”
  — Greg Gutfeld (35:45)

• “The only thing better than Irish goodbye is an Irish hello where you just don't go ever at all.”
  — Joey Jones (39:34)

Additional Segments (Light & Social)

• One More Thing: The panel delivers bits of pop culture, charity plugs (supporting the troops), and banter about tours, pets, and viral videos.
  (Timestamps: 41:32–43:41)

Overall Tone

• Lively, combative, and sardonic: The hosts and guests spar but mix in humor and personal anecdotes.
• Heavily partisan: Clear ideological lines are drawn, particularly around national security, voting rights, and progressive social issues.

Summary Table

| Topic | Speakers/Highlights | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Trump v. NATO, Iran conflict | Trump, Gutfeld, Jones, Perino, Tarlov, Compagno | 01:03–10:59 | | Voter ID/SAVE Act debate | Compagno, Schumer (clip), Gutfeld, Perino, Jones, Tarlov | 13:26–24:39 | | James Talarico & Texas politics | Jones, Tarlov, Gutfeld, Perino, Compagno | 25:55–34:14 | | Body Positivity debate | Perino, Gutfeld, Compagno, Tarlov, Jones | 35:09–37:58 | | “Irish Goodbye” etiquette | Perino, Jones, Compagno, Tarlov, Gutfeld | 38:55–40:44 |

This summary highlights major points, controversies, and the punchy, often irreverent style characteristic of "The Five."