The Five – Episode Summary

Title: Trump Bombs Suspected Narco-Terror Boat
Host: FOX News Podcasts
Date: September 3, 2025
Main Theme:
This episode centers on President Trump's military strike against a Venezuelan drug cartel boat, the ongoing debate over law-and-order policies, the viral Trump death rumor, urban crime, and freedom of speech controversies abroad.

1. Trump’s Military Strike on Narco-Terrorists

[00:00–03:32]

• President Trump orders the bombing of a drug smuggling boat off Venezuela:
  • Described by Jesse Watters as sending "11 trend narco terrorists...to narco heaven," with the vessel carrying enough drugs to "kill countless Americans."
  • The strike is intended as deterrence, signaling cartels that deadly consequences await drug traffickers.
  • Focus on cartels like Tren de Aragua and Cartel del Sols emanating from Venezuela.
  • Dana Perino notes the escalation: "I could see this expanding beyond drugs. It’s a war on terror. Right. Because one of the things President Trump did when he first came back to office was to designate them as terrorist organizations." [01:54]
  • Discussion of possible expansion to Mexican cartels and whether strike was legal in international waters.
  • Highlighted the increased US military presence in the region and past diplomatic interventions (e.g., Rick Grenell)
  • Notable moment: Marco Rubio’s deep understanding of Venezuela and Cuba is flagged as an asset for US policy.

2. The Strike’s Impact and Broader Debate

[03:32–07:41]

• Praise for Trump’s bold approach; panel critiques Democratic policies:
  • Greg Gutfeld: "What a change from the past. We are no longer as a country embracing decline. In one video you just saw the solution for drugs, gangs and late night boating. Trump just said to America, I hear you watch this. The sharks are happy. They just got a big free meal." [03:38]
  • He riffs on the difference between prioritized public safety vs. leftist concerns for "the rights of outsiders."
  • Democrats, says Greg, erred by focusing on process and defendant rights over victims’ needs.
  • Harold Ford Jr.: "This sends a message like none other can...those on those boats know that they have a problem, that this President and our country now is going to protect and seal our borders against these kinds of things." [05:50]
  • Suggestion for additional anti-drug campaigns ("reduce our demand as a nation for fentanyl and all these kinds of things as well") and defense of the legality/morality of the strike.
• Rosanna Scotto contextualizes the crisis for New York:
  • Explains presence of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in NYC, linking crime surges to the drug trade and immigration crisis.
  • "Parents all across America whose children were struggling with drugs, who died accidentally because of fentanyl poisoning, were probably celebrating this bombing, but it came probably too late for many families in America." [07:57]

3. Debunking Trump Death Rumors and Media Reactions

[10:12–13:50]

• Social media rumors swirl about Trump's death:
  • Dana Perino, Greg, and Jesse mock the furor: "President Trump is very much alive. Despite a left wing conspiracy theory..." [10:15]
  • Greg Gutfeld jokes: "Donald Trump will never die. Forget it. He’s like Dracula." [10:37]
  • Panel lampoons Democrats for lacking policy focus, relying on hopes of Trump’s demise.
  • Jesse shares a moment with his son: "Jesse Jr. walked into my bedroom this morning and he said, dad, they thought Trump was dead. Biden was alive. Kamala was smart. And it wasn’t Hunter’s coke." [11:42]
• Discussion on political commentary and humor:
  • Harold Ford Jr.: "I don’t understand why Democrats continue to attack Donald Trump personally...It’s a dangerous, dangerous thing to be treading down the path of." [13:53]
  • Rosanna points out selective criticism—e.g., Jen Psaki raising Trump health concerns while ignoring Biden’s visible issues.

4. Chicago Crime & Trump’s National Guard Proposal

[19:27–27:24]

• Lori Lightfoot and JB Pritzker push back on Trump’s suggestion:
  • Lori Lightfoot dismisses federal intervention as "manufactured crisis." [20:13]
  • Pritzker minimizes crime rates and deflects blame to guns trafficked from red states.
  • Panel: "But it’s the blue cities that caused the crime in the red states." [21:11]
  • Dana Perino recalls split-screen media moments exposing disconnects between official narratives and ground reality (e.g., on the border crisis).
  • Harold Ford Jr. argues mayors should collaborate with federal authorities: "If you live in a crime infested neighborhood...the person in the neighborhood...is going to say, why don’t you come and get us more cops, more jails..." [22:30]
  • Rosanna recounts: "50 people were shot in Chicago last weekend...The mayor of Chicago is blaming guns coming in from red states...crime is caused by criminals." [24:13]
  • Jesse: "Hundreds of millions of dollars are going to Chicago every year for crime prevention programs, street programs, and they just pass it out and everybody puts it in their pocket." [25:58]
  • Notably—a critical claim: if trans victims were targeted on the south side, Democrats would pay more attention than for "random black" victims.

5. Free Speech Crackdown: UK Police Arrest British Comic

[28:19–34:01]

• British comedian Graham Linehan arrested for anti-trans posts:
  • Rosanna: "He said that five armed officers arrested him after he flew in from Arizona...I was arrested at an airport like a terrorist, locked in a cell like a criminal..." [28:19]
  • Greg Gutfeld issues a fiery rebuke of UK policy: "Men who claim to be women are men...The trans ideology is inherently destructive, and it’s a subversive cult...England has become a grim, sad shell of an empire." [29:04]
  • Dana Perino lauds the First Amendment: "Our founding fathers were absolutely brilliant. They put the first amendment first and England...doesn’t have it." [30:45]
  • Dana highlights UK police priorities—swift action on speech, but inaction on burglary or grooming gangs.
  • Jesse notes: "We are now the true beacon of freedom and we can’t lose what we have in Europe. We have to cradle it, we have to nurture it." [32:00]
  • Harold Ford Jr. and panel appreciative of US free speech protections; caution against overregulation and politicized censorship.

6. Viral Funnies & One More Thing

(Selected highlights from 35:00 onward)

• Chuck E. Cheese credit card theft arrest:
  • Comic banter on whether the rodent mascot is black or Mexican; jokes about being profiled, with Greg ribbing Jesse. Jesse: "Well, I never knew Chuck E. Cheese was black. I always thought he was Mexican." [35:36]
  • Dana: "They could have arrested him at the end of the shift, not in front of the children." [36:10]
  • Rosanna: "I’m traumatized. He’s a rat. And on top of a rat, now he’s alleged fraudster." [36:29]
• Final rounds:
  • Greg's "sexy bald eagle" news, trivia about the meaning of "bald" (shining white). [37:33]
  • Jesse jokes about a Powerball ticket, implications of possession, and guest lineup.
  • Stories of compassion and resilience:
    • Khalil Shakir (Buffalo Bills WR) saves dogs facing euthanasia. [39:29]
    • Evan Lalo, a 14-year-old who beats cancer, shares his inspiration: "Just keep going is my message to others. What a way, Evan. We’re rooting for you..." [40:46]
  • Lighthearted exchanges about US Open, tennis, and the dynamics of women's vs. men's sports.

7. Notable Quotes

• Greg Gutfeld: "What a change from the past. We are no longer as a country embracing decline. In one video you just saw the solution for drugs, gangs and late night boating. Trump just said to America, I hear you watch this. The sharks are happy." [03:38]
• Dana Perino: "I could see this expanding beyond drugs. It’s a war on terror. Right...President Trump did...designate them as terrorist organizations." [01:54]
• Rosanna Scotto: "Parents all across America whose children...struggling with drugs, who died accidentally because of fentanyl poisoning, were probably celebrating this bombing, but it came probably too late for many families in America." [07:57]
• Harold Ford Jr.: "I applaud the president for doing it." [07:41]
• Greg Gutfeld on UK speech police: "England has become a grim, sad shell of an empire. Your leaders are pathetic, your food sucks, and you haven’t created a great musical artist since Morrissey." [29:04]
• Jesse Watters: "It's not Trump who’s dead. The Democrat Party is dead." [13:50]
• Dana Perino on First Amendment: "Our founding fathers were absolutely brilliant. They put the first amendment first..." [30:45]
• Jesse Watters (on US–Europe freedom): "We are now the true beacon of freedom and we can’t lose what we have in Europe. We have to cradle it, we have to nurture it." [32:00]

8. Tone and Style

• The episode is high-energy, combative, and laced with Fox-style humor, sarcasm, and the show's trademark banter.
• Strong pro-Trump, tough-on-crime advocacy; open critique of Democratic policies and progressive commentators.
• Panelists frequently take playful (and sometimes acerbic) jabs at each other, tailoring the tone to a lively, assertive, and sometimes irreverent style.

9. Key Timestamps

• 00:00–03:32 – Strike against Venezuelan drug cartels: motives, regional impact.
• 03:32–07:41 – Reaction and political debate – Trump’s deterrent intent, implications for policy.
• 10:12–13:50 – Trump death rumor, media coverage, and panelists’ personal anecdotes.
• 19:27–27:24 – Urban crime, Trump’s National Guard proposal, Lori Lightfoot & Pritzker reactions.
• 28:19–34:01 – UK comedian arrested for speech; First Amendment comparison.
• 35:00–41:00 – Chuck E. Cheese arrest, animal/human interest stories, light closing banter.

10. Conclusion

For listeners seeking insight into the right-leaning consensus on border policy, law enforcement, and populist messaging, this episode provides a blend of hardline political commentary, discussions of media narratives, and humorous diversions—all delivered in the distinct, fast-paced style characteristic of "The Five."