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Dana Perino
Hello, everyone. I'm Dana Perino, along with Kennedy, Harold Ford Jr. Jesse Waters and Greg Gutfeld. It's 5:00 clock in New York City, and this is the 5.
Greg Gutfeld
Thank you, Trump.
Harold Ford Jr.
Thank you, Trump.
Greg Gutfeld
Thank you, Trump.
Dana Perino
And President Trump getting a hero's welcome in Israel on a very historic day. Hamas releasing all 20 living hostages as part of the peace deal that Trump brokered. Emotional scenes as families were reunited with loved ones who were held hostage for two years. The President getting a thunderous ovation while addressing the Israeli Knesset. And he couldn't resist taking a few shots at his predecessors while he was at it.
Donald Trump
But when you settle eight wars in eight months, that means you don't like war. Everyone thought I was going to be brutal. In fact, I remember Hillary Clinton during a debate, she said, look at him, look at him. He's going to go to war with everybody. And actually, she said, he's got a. And it seems to work. It could have happened a long time ago, but it was strangled and set back almost irretrievably by the administrations of Barack Obama and then Joe Biden, and.
Dana Perino
Then it was to Egypt. President Trump shaking hands and meeting with 30 countries for a Gaza peace summit, hoping to keep the momentum going on his 20 point plan for peace in the region.
Donald Trump
Now the rebuilding begins. The rebuilding is maybe going to be the easiest part. I think we've done a lot of the hardest part because the rest comes together. The momentous breakthrough that we're here to celebrate tonight is more than the end of the war in Gaza. It's with God's help, it'll be the new beginning for an entire beautiful Middle East. All the momentum now is toward a great, glorious and lasting peace and our commitment to fulfilling the 20 point plan. I hope everybody is going to join the Abraham Accord. I like to say the Avraham. I love Avraham.
Dana Perino
And here's something for a change. Some Democrats and media pundits were willing to give credit where credit is due.
Jesse Waters
This was very much a peacemaker speech.
Kennedy
Do you give him credit for this?
Harold Ford Jr.
Certainly.
Jesse Waters
I mean, this is an incredible accomplishment, an incredible moment.
Greg Gutfeld
It's a terrific day for the hostage families. It's a terrific day for President Trump, for our national interests.
Harold Ford Jr.
He should get a lot of credit. I mean, this was his deal. He worked this out.
Greg Gutfeld
Listen, he got the deal across the finish line. There's no question.
Harold Ford Jr.
Things seem sort of possible now in a way that they didn't necessarily before.
Jesse Waters
A better future ahead.
Harold Ford Jr.
That's what today represented. It was so, so Powerful and unbelievably emotional.
Dana Perino
And it went on from there. I think Hillary Clinton even had some nice things to say. Jesse Waters, we'll start with you on this huge moment. And I would just point out that President Trump, before he flew all the way there, he was ready to stand there in solidarity with his friend, be a part of this peace movement, and take it to the next level in phase two. But before that, he also met with hostages, former hostages and their families, in order to hear directly from them.
Jesse Waters
Yeah, he was so successful because he turned everything on its head. Great day for everybody. But a huge indictment of American foreign policy over the last 30 years. Donald Trump bombed the Iranians instead of giving them cash. He turned Israel loose in the region instead of trying to contain Israel. He sold the Arab leaders technology instead of just weaponry.
Greg Gutfeld
And.
Jesse Waters
And all of the talk about human rights abuses really rubbed these Arab leaders the wrong way, and he focused on controlling the human rights abuses of the terrorists. Imagine that he removed Palestinian statehood as the cornerstone of the negotiation strategy. And then he also turned loose New York real estate developers who would have thought they would have been more effective than career diplomats. Joe Biden, when he first gets in there, called the Saudi crown prince a killer, and then he told them he was going green. And then what did he do? He came back begging to pump more oil. So then when he wanted more help to solve this thing, they put him to voicemail. And all the people you showed praising Donald Trump for his success in the Middle east, they wanted to put him in prison. So if they had been successful in putting him in prison, Hamas would have still had the hostages, and the Iranians would have still had their nuclear program. It kind of hinges this whole peace deal on the Bibi miscalculation. When he tried to take these strikes against these negotiators in Qatar, Trump was shocked that he did that. And the Arab world was humiliated. And he brings Bibi back to the White House, and he makes him make an apology phone call while everybody was taking photographs. And that showed the Arab world that Trump could control Netanyahu. And that means they trusted him, that if Netanyahu signs this deal, Trump will make sure he doesn't break it. He was able to establish that trust through a personal relationship. And hopefully, what he's doing now in Ukraine, the way he turned Israel loose in Syria and Iran, in Lebanon and in Gaza, he's now considering turning the Ukrainians loose by selling them Tomahawk missiles, because the nice stuff hasn't worked with Putin yet. He might have to turn them loose and have deep strikes inside of Russia, and that might bring an end to that war. And if you could do that, you got to give the guy the Nobel Peace Prize.
Dana Perino
In fact, I think I just saw on X that Time magazine, it's not Time magazine Person of the Year, but they have him on the COVID and giving him due Credit. Harold Ford, Jr. Get your thoughts now.
Harold Ford Jr.
Good to be back with everybody. I agree with Jesse in huge ways. I think Jesse's sketching out of the history over the last several months, starting with, I think, two things. Our ability to go into Iran with the Midnight Hammer mission and destroy and undermine their ability to fund and provide their proxies with weapons was a huge thing. The Israelis really paved that for us because they cleared the airspace and we had the technology and had the men and women to be able to get it done. And then obviously, Jesse, I think you're absolutely right. The attack of the Hamas negotiators in Qatar rubbed Qatar the wrong way, and it gave President Trump the opportunity to apply pressure to both sides. And now we've got to do it. We've got to do it in Ukraine. I'd say just two last things, because I think Jesse nailed it. What I hope emerges from this, because there's some serious, there are real questions that we will now have to deal with. And it was so encouraging to see the president there with the leadership in the Middle east, as well as many of our European allies. And I actually think some of the pressure they applied to Israel by saying that they recognized, wanted to recognize Palestine as a state was something that also helped in this process as well. But we shouldn't kid ourselves. It was President Trump that did it. Two things. Will there be a new generation of leadership that emerges as we think about the way Gaza is going to be governed? New, younger leadership. You talked about MBS and how he was perceived and treated by President Biden. He's a young guy who realizes that the future of that region cannot just be tied to energy products. He wants technology and other things. And clearly what President Trump did by brokering the sell of massive amounts of our AI and massive amounts of our technology will help. That we should all recall two years ago, right before October 7, the Israelis and the Saudis were on the verge of a massive and historic peace and economic security deal, which would have transformed the region as well and added to the Abraham or Abraham Accords, depending on how you want to pronounce it. So I'm hopeful and encouraged this afternoon, and I'm Even more so that President Trump is now saying his trust for President Putin is at an all time low and he's going to give these people offensive weapons, Tomahawks, in order to bring them to the table. So I agree with you 100%, Kennedy.
Dana Perino
I could watch the reunion videos all day, and I have watched so many of them. And it does remind you just the barbarity of Hamas. And all of this could have ended if Hamas would have released all the hostages immediately. Israel said that it would stop. The hostages are released, the war is stopped.
Kennedy
20 of them are. And, you know, for those 20 families, there was so much uncertainty. And the only thing that felt certain was this war was going to drag on for another year. It felt interminable. And they may not see their loved ones again. You know, the hostage videos that we have seen, the dramatic weight loss and, you know, the change in complexion and body makeup was so jarring for people. You know, seeing your loved one digging his own grave, seeing these people wither and grow pale, and the worry is that you're going to be on the list of families who were called when their loved ones didn't make it. And, you know, they prayed and hoped beyond hope. And this for them is something that they were trying to put into words in the Knesset in Israel as President Trump spoke. And, you know, the, the speaker of the Knesset said that President Trump is the greatest ally Israel has ever had. Benjamin Netanyahu said that he was going to nominate President Trump for the Israel Prize, something that no non Israeli had ever won. And, you know, when I look at this, I think, would we see a day like this? I hope that we would have if President Biden hadn't dropped out of the race, if he was by some strange miracle for him reelected, or if Kamala Harris had prevailed. And it's very hard for me to conceive of a present like this under her leadership. And, you know, this is the defining moment of his presidency so far. You know, we're only the first year into his second term. And, you know, I think that he is very hungry for peace and for more deals and the way the world and Democrats have coalesced around him, I think that has to give Russia pause because they feel momentum shifting against them and they see how quickly things can change. And, you know, all you have to do is ask.
Dana Perino
There's also a really interesting mix of a few months of, well, since President Trump was in office, of soft power through the State Department and the hard power from the Defense Department and Operation Midnight Hammer. I know that's your nickname and how that was able to put these puzzle pieces together so that President Trump could bring everybody to the table and get it done.
Greg Gutfeld
That went all over my head.
Harold Ford Jr.
Why?
Greg Gutfeld
I don't know anything about soft and hard power. I do know about Stephanie power. Amazing in Herbie rights again. I want to talk, I'm interested in what's happening, like around us. Like every day you hear how awful Donald Trump is. Until something like this happens and it just goes deathly quiet. It's just like all of a sudden people go back.
Harold Ford Jr.
You know what?
Greg Gutfeld
Maybe that's how they should live their lives. Do not pay such a close attention to this and go about your lives because you're going to be proven wrong. I have a suggestion. We have a huge audience and the reason why we have a huge audience is because we have a lot of liberals watch. So if you're watching, here's just one request. You saw Trump bring Israel and Hamas to the table to make peace. Maybe draw inspiration from that and call that one person a relative or a friend that you deserted or blocked because they voted for Trump. Just, I mean, this is such a huge deal, your little vendetta, it can't be that hard to fix. You might have a sister in law, you might have a cousin, you might have an old friend from college. Like if those two, if Trump can do that, maybe it's time that you decide that you were a little harsh on your friends because they happened to see something in Trump that you missed because you did miss it. Politicians like Joe Biden and the rest, they live in the world of the acceptable. They accept everything. There's going to be death, they accept it. There's going to be poverty, they accept it. They accept everything. Trump came from the world of the unacceptable. He came in, he's like, what's this got to do? He would ask, why are we doing this? I don't understand that. Why do we have all this money there? I don't get this at all. I don't like war. Because he, he would not accept the managed decline and, and the constant death. He became unacceptable to them, to the people that were in power. He thought big. He sees everything as a moonshot. What could happen? Maybe not. Maybe not. He thought that the impossible was possible. So I would love for never Trumpers to ask themselves about the possibility that the things that they hated about him are what make him successful. And perhaps you were, your ego was hurt by the fact that he believed that these great things could happen. And he was Persistent and relentless and positive. And that just seemed so alien to you if you think about it. Where are his critics today? How small are they cuz I can't see them? Where is Bill Kristol? Where is Adam Kinzinger, Liz Cheney, Gavin Newsom Vindman? Where are these people? They've like we should do a show on Fox Nation called Where are they now and just do all because I wanna know how do you look in the mirror when you see after years of mocking people who had faith in this guy, people who risked a lot of stuff to support Trump, that you made fun of the George Takei's of the world that ridiculed him. Where are they? Don't you owe the people that you mocked some kind of apology? This guy is solving world peace. He closed the border. He's trying to reduce crime. Anyway, they'll find something new.
Dana Perino
They will. They'll wait a full 24 hours.
Greg Gutfeld
Yes.
Dana Perino
We'll be back at it coming up next. Oh, speaking of that. Barack Obama condemns President Trump sending the National Guard of Chicago as Portland bikers. They went naked against ice like yeah.
Greg Gutfeld
Baby girl, you're gonna done it again. Making all the guys wishing you were with them. But I bet they don't see what I see when I see my girl.
Kennedy
We all believe in the it's Will Kane country.
Greg Gutfeld
Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through Thursday@foxnews.com or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss the show. Listen and follow the podcast five days a week at Fox News Podcasts or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.
Jesse Waters
New Tifa stormed Portland. A large group of butt naked cyclists rolling up to the ICE facility in Portland holding a die in as a way to protest the removal of criminal illegal migrants. Barack Obama was not among the nude bikers, but he's going on podcasts to warn against the danger of Trump's Chicago military deployment.
Harold Ford Jr.
So when you now start seeing the.
Greg Gutfeld
Politicization of the military deliberately. Right. They just landed in Chicago. Yeah. When you see an administration suggest that ordinary street crime is an insurrection.
Jesse Waters
Or.
Harold Ford Jr.
Or a terrorist act or a terrorist.
Greg Gutfeld
Act, that is a genuine effort to weaken how we have understood democracy. Okay.
Jesse Waters
I have no idea what he just said. We all just tuned out. That was the most.
Greg Gutfeld
We had the longest conversation while he was talking.
Jesse Waters
Totally.
Greg Gutfeld
What is it about him? What is it? I don't know. It's like you watch this, you go like I'm. Why is this on? Why are we here? I don't get it. I get it. But I have to give credit to Fox News for once. They blurred nudity and I was pleased. Do you think when actual nudists see this, they're disgusted by it? Like, it's amateur hour for them. It's kind of like alcoholics looking at people getting drunk on New Year's Eve. And it's like, that's nothing. That's nothing. These people. Why is it always the people you don't want to see naked always? Why can't NFL cheerleaders and Victoria's Secret girls protest? Don't they get mad? Don't they get mad? Instead we get outpatients from a halfway house and it's clear the only time they exit this is the only time they exercise, which is really stupid. They need to start making disposable bicycle seats because no one's ever going to touch those bikes again. I'm going to pretend that I was listening to what Obama said. I think it's refreshing that Democrats finally are interested in violence. You know, never mind that this violence is initiated by their radical allies like Antifa. But they regularly, for years, downplayed rising violence crime. They rejiggered the stats that we had to always refute. Like, that's not true about D.C. they mocked victims of crime by saying it wasn't a concern at all. Oh, I was just in the city of New York and I had dinner. There was no crime. And now they are so concerned about the impression of crime because the feds have to help protect ICE from these crazy people. So it's the demonstrations that bring on the atmosphere of crime that is so troubling to those two boring people we just watched.
Dana Perino
Dana P. Well, I think that President Obama, if he wants to go on his friend's podcast, there's so many other things you could talk about. And you could tell the friend, I'm not going to talk about this because I don't want to get in the way. I don't want to weigh in on this. Look how cross he is, all sorts of other things. But I mean, when you decide to put yourself out there as a former president, you're going to make comments about things and that's going to rise to the top of the news. Hence, we have this. And I don't. I love when local law enforcement is in charge and doing a good job. I don't like it when any law enforcement is the target. And recently, of course, we have seen very concrete examples of federal law enforcement officers like ICE or Border Patrol being attacked. And so I just wonder if he were to put himself back in the commander in chief shoes and this were happening, would he do nothing? Would he not want to solve that problem? I find that a little hard to believe. And I think he would have found a way to maybe try to figure out a way to do that. But because it's President Trump and he is coming down on the side without being realistic and saying federal law enforcement officers have to be protected, we have to figure out a way to deal with this problem that Biden caused. And if just one of these Democrats would be willing to come out and say Biden really screwed up at that level. Obviously there have been Democrats who are not elected leaders who have said things like that and like people at this table. But if they would just do that, they might be able to move on from it. Moveon.org can we move on, Harold?
Harold Ford Jr.
So I don't have any issue with the National Guard helping police forces across the country make neighborhoods safer. Police forces, police departments that don't have enough cops and prosecutors in jails, and for that matter, training dollars and ammunition. I think if it's done in a targeted way, as I've said around this table many times, I think it's the right thing. I think we conflate these things a little bit. I listened to the Republican governor of Oklahoma last week, which we probably all did, and he said that he would probably have an issue if a Democratic president ordered a blue state National Guard to come into Oklahoma to help enforce laws if he didn't want it. Now, the president has the right to call the National Guard if he believes there's an emergency. And in this instance here, President Trump has done it and he's being challenged in the courts and ultimately the court, the Supreme Court likely will have the final say on whether or not this is constitutional. I come back to where I've been on weeks on this as it relates to crime, why not pass a crime bill? The National Guard cannot stay indefinitely in these cities, Memphis, Portland, D.C. wherever it may be. What we need are more cops and more prosecutors, more training in cashless bail, and these cities will qualify for millions, if not billions of dollars to be able to flow into their cities for them, as Dana said, for local control to be asserted again because they'll have the people and have the resources to enforce the law. When it comes to ICE facilities, I get it. If ICE facilities are under, under threat, and they are, people are being shot, which they have been, I think it's appropriate for the president. And to your, to your point, Dana, what would President Obama do if federal facilities were being attacked as they are right now, I think that there's a case for that, and I think we'll see what the courts eventually, eventually say.
Kennedy
Kennedy, I've never seen.
Greg Gutfeld
No. You bring up this thing about ending cash bail. I don't understand what is not. Why aren't we, like, we keep bringing this up and it's like, how come.
Dana Perino
And President Trump signed the executive order.
Greg Gutfeld
Yeah. Isn't it done?
Harold Ford Jr.
No, it's not. You need to pass a bill in Congress and you have Republicans in the majority. I mean, to cut you off in the House and the Senate. He is not offered a national crime bill with billions and billions of dollars.
Greg Gutfeld
Can't you just stop?
Harold Ford Jr.
You can't. You can't because these are local issues. You can. What you can do is incentivize them to do it, which is saying you won't get any more federal money to do the crime fighting you want unless you do this. I would be a huge.
Greg Gutfeld
We've been talking about this for how long?
Harold Ford Jr.
A long time.
Greg Gutfeld
Thank you.
Harold Ford Jr.
I didn't mean to cut you off.
Kennedy
Well, no, I. I want to bring up the most important point, which is I've never seen Tuck Friendly True Religion Jeans. That was. That was quite a feat. No wonder Michelle is going to all over, every medium, her podcast, every newspaper, badmouthing the former president. Look at the way he's sitting. We're taking advice from this guy about how to fix things. Did he get fixed? It's a little worrisome. And, you know, I don't disagree with him about the militarization, the federal militarization of these cities. But these cities have abdicated the responsibility to keep their citizens safe. And that is something that Keith Wilson and Brandon Johnson and Karen Bass and all of the other mayors in these beleaguered cities, they won't admit that they've got a problem. They've got a disconnect between the mayor's office and the DA and law enforcement. And, you know, they've also got a disconnect with, you know, really targeting recidivist criminals who are the ones who are, you know, reoffending and committing the worst felonies. Now, I'm from Portland. I know I've said that a bunch of times on the show. In some ways, you know, it's a tale of two cities. In some ways, you've got Mount Hood. You've got the Clackamas river where people go kayaking. You've got the Deschutes River. You've Got world class whitewater rafting. You've got people who mountain bike and hike and snowboard. And then you've got the people who go to the nude bicycling events and they look like Katie Porter. And that's just the guys. Something is wrong in this city, and we don't need President Trump coming in. We with a crackdown on the local nudists. So please don't make him sign that executive order.
Harold Ford Jr.
Can you imagine if you and I talked about this last week? There are 100 people in New York City committing half 6% of the crime.
Greg Gutfeld
I don't understand.
Harold Ford Jr.
There's a way to do this, and it's a.
Greg Gutfeld
Anyway, there's something stopping it, and I don't know what it is.
Harold Ford Jr.
You'll blame Democrats, but George Soros absolutely will.
Jesse Waters
Up next, while Trump racks up peace deals. Kamala keeps getting heckled.
Greg Gutfeld
Thinking of updating my kitchen. Trump stacking peace deals. Kamala's stacking hecklers. The pro Hamas freaks were crashing our book tour again. Watch.
Jesse Waters
Your legacy is genocide, war criminal.
Greg Gutfeld
You know what?
Dana Perino
I am not president of the United States.
Greg Gutfeld
You want to go to the White House and go on as you best. That's a tough one, Harold. Are they applauding that she's not president of the United States? Are they applauding because the comeback was clever or are they just. I don't know what's going on, but you have to.
Dana Perino
Let's.
Greg Gutfeld
Let's act like there's nobody watching. You are so happy she lost, right? Come on. You were like you were regretting. You vote. You didn't vote for anyone.
Harold Ford Jr.
I did vote for her. This is. Look, at the end of the day, she lost. She ran a failed campaign. And President Trump, I think as people sit here today and I think everyone around the table made the point in the first segment and you made it, I think, in a way to explain to people, Greg, that you should reach out to those who were Trump supporters who you might have excommunicated. President Trump has got the first phase of something done that I doubt. And Kennedy, you asked the question, could Joe Biden or Kamala Harris have done this? I don't know, but I think one could make a strong argument that they could not have. But having said all that, she's on a book tour. She has every right to do this. I've said this. And I'm not accusing anyone around the table, Dennis, but I just, I don't. I mean, she's down still. She still doesn't know where kind of where she's going. So I just don't. I don't laugh at people. I don't kick people. Because at some point, President Trump, as high as he is today, the next three years as president, you can always face some sort of toughness and downness. I don't wish it on him. If and when that happens, I'm not going to, but I'm not going to. I am not going to. I'm not going to pile on in any way with that. But I got to tell you, if she decides to run again, Greg, she's going to have it. I mean, they're going to give it to her hot and heavy in the worst of ways as she tries to get her campaign back on track.
Greg Gutfeld
Willie Brown on the phone, because she.
Harold Ford Jr.
She still doesn't have it. Yeah, doesn't happen.
Greg Gutfeld
It's interesting. Kennedy, Harold is making a point that, like, why. Why are we kind of like, why are we doing this? Even though we know it's fun? We're just doing it because it's fun.
Kennedy
Well, we're doing it because it's remarkable. So you always have to look at the coalition that presidents put together when they win, you know, because they're always at a headwind. Our presidential elections now are pretty tight. Not as tight as, you know, she likes to say. But what's fascinating about her is the coalition of people who really don't like her. You know, it's like some of them are just apathetic, and some of them look at her and they cannot. You know, like, Chris Soliza the other day was talking about how someone who has been in politics for so long, for so many years, is so incredibly bad at it. You know, I think she feels like this is a big, sick burn when she's like, I'm not the president. It's like, yeah, for very obvious reasons, like, number one, you have a liberal event, like the progressive wing, the most liberal wing of your party, they despise you. You know, that has to absolutely say something about her. But what's most fascinating to me is in the book, she obviously had to include some juicy nuggets so people would go out and buy it, because her story is really a boring failure. But she and Gavin Newsom have this bubbling rivalry that is only going to get worse and worse and worse over the next couple because she slagged him in the book, and now he took a bunch of her staffers, and they're gonna stick with him when he runs for president, and that's gonna be the sick burn. And I can't stand either of them.
Greg Gutfeld
Yeah. You know, Jesse, you are used to heckling. Even when you tape a show and there's no audience, you still get heckled by the cameraman. How do you think she handled it?
Jesse Waters
I walked by your audience waiting in line the other day and I heckled them. I said, I can't believe you're gonna see this guy. They're only there cuz it's free. Greg, they are yelling at Kamala Harris for being a criminal. Well, what does that make Trump? He beat the war criminal and then ended the war. I don't understand these people with the signs. The signs end genocide. Now remember those signs.
Greg Gutfeld
Okay?
Jesse Waters
Trump ended the genocide. Are you still going to call him Hitler after this? No, of course not.
Greg Gutfeld
You can't.
Jesse Waters
What about Rashida Tlaib? She's Palestinian. She hasn't said a thing since this deal's been done. She hasn't said a thing since Wednesday. So she was all about the Palestinians, right? Free Palestine. Trump freed it. So are you saying she doesn't care about the Palestinians? It seems like she was more on the side of Hamas. It seems like she's quiet, Greg. You know, all these people have been quiet because she actually was more rooting for Hamas. She's mad Hamas surrendered.
Greg Gutfeld
Mm, that's an interesting Prove me wrong.
Harold Ford Jr.
Yes.
Greg Gutfeld
It's not up to him to be prove his opinion is right. It's for you to go find out and then tell us about it. And by then we've already forgotten. We've moved on.
Jesse Waters
Those are the rules.
Greg Gutfeld
Those are the rules. We just say it and then we drive away. Hey, Dana, what do you say? Are we being too hard on this lady? No.
Harold Ford Jr.
Okay.
Dana Perino
Oh, no.
Greg Gutfeld
Okay.
Dana Perino
I thought about her a lot today for a couple reasons. First of all, if Democrats choose Kamala Harris In 2028, that would be like the Democrats going back and choosing Walter Mondale in 1988 or Michael Dukakis in 1996. That would. Or 1992. That would have been ridiculous. She was the first person, remember, she made a big deal about this on the campaign trail. She would say, I was the first person to demand a ceasefire with or without the hostages released. Those were her words. And so I think you're making a great point. Like, so then what would she say about this today? If you were willing to do a ceasefire and sacrifice those people who came home today, that was going to be your solution. The other. My last point is I love the Gavin Newsom thing. And the more she talks on this Book tour, which please keep going. It takes up all the headlines and all the room from some other Democrat who might emerge and see if they can do a viable run.
Greg Gutfeld
Interesting.
Harold Ford Jr.
Does she congratulate the president? Do we know any of the footage? Where did she congratulate him? When the kind of.
Jesse Waters
She did kind of.
Harold Ford Jr.
Okay, good, good.
Greg Gutfeld
There you go.
Dana Perino
Oh, Jesse, way to prepare.
Harold Ford Jr.
Kind of.
Greg Gutfeld
Kind of. All right, up next, JD Vance dunks George Stephanopoulos in the fake news toilet.
Kennedy
Healthy aging support starts and fail. Great song. Thank you, Greg Veep, JD Vance Smack and George Stephanopoulos down for asking about bribery allegations surrounding border czar Tom Homan instead of the government shutdown.
Greg Gutfeld
Watch what was caught on the tape. You're saying right now you don't know whether or not he kept that money.
Jesse Waters
I don't know what tape you're referring to, George.
Harold Ford Jr.
Here's George.
Jesse Waters
Why fewer and fewer people watch your program and why you're losing credibility because you're talking for now five minutes with.
Greg Gutfeld
The vice president of the United States about this story regarding Tom Homan.
Jesse Waters
Right now we're trying to figure out how to pay our troops because Chuck Schumer has shut down the government. You are focused on a bogus story.
Harold Ford Jr.
The American people would benefit much more.
Jesse Waters
From that than from you going down some weird left wing rabbit hole.
Donald Trump
It's not a weird left wing rabbit hole.
Harold Ford Jr.
I didn't insinuate anything.
Donald Trump
I asked you whether Tom Homan accepted $50,000, as was heard on an audio.
Greg Gutfeld
Tape recorded by the FBI in September 2024, and you did not answer the question.
Donald Trump
Thank you for your time this morning.
Greg Gutfeld
No, I said that I don't. Up next.
Harold Ford Jr.
We'll be right back.
Kennedy
Shut him down. That got awkward. So, Dana, you and George Stephanopoulos share a very similar career trajectory. You both started in the White House. You came into the public sphere as communications people talking on behalf of the various presidents that you represented, and now you're both superstars. However, I don't know.
Dana Perino
I think he would say that he was much more of a bigger star than me.
Greg Gutfeld
He's shorter than you.
Dana Perino
What did he do?
Kennedy
What did he do wrong there? Well, it's very funny.
Dana Perino
I would say everyone gets a choice on what you want to ask about, and the person you're interviewing gets a choice on how they want to answer. And JD Vance is a very skilled communicator and he can take any topic and turn it around. And I think one of his main points is that you expect people in the country to be worried about Tom Homan in September 2024 and the FBI tape and that they've already addressed it, maybe not to George Stephanopoulos satisfaction. Okay. But if that's what you choose to answer or to ask about, then JD Vance has every right to say, wait, you don't want to talk about the fact that the troops, our troops might not get paid because we can't get the government to work together on this. And George knows how the whole system works. But again, everybody gets a choice. And that's just the one that George stuff office made on that day.
Kennedy
All right, so Jesse, when J.D. vance says your first name over and over again, are you in trouble?
Jesse Waters
Probably. But I always think I'm in trouble. The there's no evidence that Hoban ever took any bribes, but there's a mountain of evidence that the Biden family did. Diamonds, cars, cash, millions in wires. And Stephanopoulos never asked the President about it, never asked Hunter about it. His brothers never was curious at all. And these are the new rules, by the way. Republicans shouldn't condemn anything a Republican does at this point after the Democrats are backing a guy that says he wants to put two bullets in Republicans head, they circled the wagons around that guy. I think you can circle the wagon around Tom Hoban because it looks like what the Biden DOJ was doing was going around throwing bags of cash at incoming Trump administration officials. Those look like dirty political setups and and stings. Now I assume he didn't take the cash and not report it to the irs. I surely hope that's not what happened. But I don't trust the DOJ to not be dirty under Joe Biden. But you can tell that that's what they're doing. They're going to hammer this sting hard next time they take power.
Kennedy
Who won the exchange, Harold?
Harold Ford Jr.
We all lost. We had a story last week with Katie Porter. She was on air and decided she didn't like the questions that a CBS reporter was asking her in Los Angeles. I said that was the wrong thing for her to do. I think it's wrong. When I was in politics, I always wanted to have control over what was asking me. Sometimes things are asking me that I didn't like that I wish were not. But when you're in public life, that's part of the responsibility. Now to your point, I still don't know what happened with the home and money, if you got it, if you pay taxes on it. But that's I don't happen. That doesn't bother me at all. What I'M bothered by is when politicians believe they can tell reporters what they're going to answer and what they're not going to answer. Katie Porter was wrong, and Vice President Vance was a friend. He was wrong in that interview.
Dana Perino
But Katie Porter walked out of the interview. She tried.
Kennedy
She couldn't get her microphone off.
Harold Ford Jr.
It was, to me, the same thing. You don't answer the question. She was terrible. I don't disagree about that. I didn't think the vice president was great there either.
Dana Perino
Greg.
Kennedy
Quid pro quo, Clarice.
Greg Gutfeld
I would say that you can't compare the Porter and Vance one because of the political affiliations. Vance is Republican. And it's different because the media always, always circled their wagons around Democrats, but Republicans never get that. So they circle their wagons around Biden when he was in a coma. They're doing it with everybody else, so it's exhausted all their credibility. And that's kind of why, like, when you see Vance do that, he's kind of doing it not just for Vance, he's doing it for all of us. In a way, it's like you, Harold and I, and everybody here knows what it's like to be the target of the media and how unfair it can be. Many Americans didn't know that until they voted for Trump, until, like tens of millions of Trump supporters were smeared every day by, in their local news and their national news, they knew what it's like to be framed unfairly and dishonestly. So now there's no reason, I know you probably disagree, there's no reason to show any respect to Stephanopoulos because he didn't show us any respect. And I think that's why it doesn't really matter. It's like, I, we kind of enjoy watching Vance beat up on him, even though it's child abuse.
Harold Ford Jr.
But it was wrong for that reporter for reporter to treat that reporter in California. And it was. I just, I just, I just differ. I love you to death. I differ on that. Ooh, you love me to death.
Kennedy
It's getting interesting. All right, coming up, would you ever let a brand sponsor your wedding?
Harold Ford Jr.
Kidding.
Donald Trump
Interesting.
Jesse Waters
Good news.
Harold Ford Jr.
60% of Americans say they would let a company sponsor get this their wedding if it helped cut costs. Folks are open to inviting a mascot or even wearing a logo. Jesse, you and I are. We've exhausted the marriage stuff. Are you, if you were to get married again, you think you would consider this?
Jesse Waters
If I were to get married? What kind of theoretical is this? Well, I would do this. I would have Jack Daniels sponsor The bachelor party.
Harold Ford Jr.
Plead the fifth.
Kennedy
I would. I would accept sponsorship from a champagne sponsor.
Dana Perino
Absolutely.
Kennedy
Hopefully. Paul Roget.
Harold Ford Jr.
The better question. If you were another marriage, you could second time you and Peter get married, who would you have sponsor the wedding?
Dana Perino
Here's a better question. I asked Kate, who is single and my assistant, and I said, would you. What do you think of this? And she goes, well, weddings are very expensive and I'd be for it. So I think the younger people are thinking things are too expensive. I also know somebody getting married on a Thursday this week.
Jesse Waters
Oh, dear.
Dana Perino
Because the venue's less expensive.
Kennedy
I went to a Wednesday wedding this year. Madison Alworth went to a wedding this weekend with beer donkeys.
Greg Gutfeld
Beer donkeys.
Jesse Waters
What's that?
Greg Gutfeld
What's a beer donkey?
Dana Perino
Donkey that walks around and has beer.
Kennedy
They have satchels with beer.
Jesse Waters
Oh, I need that.
Greg Gutfeld
What an ass.
Harold Ford Jr.
You know what, Mr. Exclamation Point.
Greg Gutfeld
I think that we're already promoting things with our little T shirts and our brands. Why not make some money off it? I would love to have a mascot at my divorce also.
Jesse Waters
The ass.
Greg Gutfeld
I'm not getting divorced.
Dana Perino
I'm the ass.
Greg Gutfeld
I'm the ass.
Harold Ford Jr.
I would have. In your face, Harold. Sponsor mine if I.
Greg Gutfeld
If I.
Harold Ford Jr.
And I won't do it again. One more thing up next.
Greg Gutfeld
Just as bad as I used to be.
Dana Perino
Before we get to one more thing, tickets to this year's Fox Nation Patriot Awards hosted by Sean Hannity are on sale now@foxnation.com Patriot Awards. Join us Thursday, November 6th at 8:00pm at the Tillis center in New York. Don't miss it. Okay, I want to just highlight one emotional hostage release. Former hostage Keith Siegel. He was released last February. He has been a fierce advocate for the remaining hostages, especially someone he was held with. Matan. They had a video call this morning. Keith was tireless in promoting the plight of Mattan and now they're reunited and I'm so happy for that. Bruce Melman on Perino on politics. And Greg, you're next.
Greg Gutfeld
All right, tonight we got a great show. Kat Tip, Jamie Lizzo. Tom Shalhou and Trump Eric Trump.
Dana Perino
Eric Trump.
Greg Gutfeld
Let's do this. In your face, Harold. With Brit Hume. This is Harold Fannin Jr. Bulldozed defenders. Rookie tight end for the Cleveland Browns. The elegant Cleveland Browns. I used to go to Cleveland in my youthful days carousing. I've cleaned up my axe since then. 18. That's an 18 yard catch. Seven catches for career high. 81. 81. I'm getting up there, but I'm not quite 81. Harold, in your face, the elegant Harold.
Dana Perino
Ford Jr. Jesse, who's your big guest?
Jesse Waters
Okay, we have Cheryl hines tonight at 8 o'.
Greg Gutfeld
Clock.
Jesse Waters
There'll be no carousing.
Greg Gutfeld
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Episode: Trump Gets Hero’s Welcome In Israel
Date: October 13, 2025
Host: Dana Perino
Panelists: Kennedy, Harold Ford Jr., Jesse Waters, Greg Gutfeld
This episode of The Five centers around President Trump’s historic diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East, particularly his role in brokering a peace deal that led to the release of 20 living hostages held by Hamas. The discussion spans Trump’s hero’s welcome in Israel, his speech in the Knesset, and the regional and global implications of his peace efforts. The panel also addresses reactions from political opponents, differences in policy approach compared to previous administrations, and contemporary issues in American cities involving law enforcement and political protests.
[00:24] Dana Perino: Opens with emotional scenes of families reunited as hostages are freed by Hamas under Trump’s peace deal. Trump receives a “thunderous ovation” while addressing the Knesset and does not shy away from criticizing former presidents Obama and Biden.
[00:49] Donald Trump (Speech Excerpt):
“When you settle eight wars in eight months, that means you don’t like war... It could have happened a long time ago, but it was strangled and set back almost irretrievably by the administrations of Barack Obama and then Joe Biden...”
(00:49 - 01:17)
[01:29] Donald Trump (On Rebuilding):
“Now the rebuilding begins. The rebuilding is maybe going to be the easiest part. I think we’ve done a lot of the hardest part... All the momentum now is toward a great, glorious and lasting peace and our commitment to fulfilling the 20 point plan. I hope everybody is going to join the Abraham Accord. I like to say the Avraham. I love Avraham.”
(01:29 - 02:08)
[02:08] Dana Perino: Notes that, unusually, even some Democrats and media pundits are crediting Trump’s accomplishment.
“Certainly.” (On giving Trump credit)
“It’s a terrific day for the hostage families. It’s a terrific day for President Trump, for our national interests.”
“He should get a lot of credit. I mean, this was his deal. He worked this out.”
[03:18] Jesse Waters:
Delivers a critical rundown of previous U.S. foreign policy and contrasts Trump’s approach:
“If they had been successful in putting him in prison, Hamas would have still had the hostages, and the Iranians would have still had their nuclear program.” (04:39)
[05:54] Harold Ford Jr.:
Emphasizes hard and soft power in the deal—mentions Operation Midnight Hammer and the critical role of Israeli and U.S. forces in undermining Iranian-funded proxies.
“It was so encouraging to see the president there with leadership in the Middle East, as well as many of our European allies... But we shouldn’t kid ourselves. It was President Trump that did it.” (06:15) Poses future-facing questions about leadership in Gaza and technology investments transforming the region.
“Speaker of the Knesset said that President Trump is the greatest ally Israel has ever had. Benjamin Netanyahu said that he was going to nominate President Trump for the Israel Prize, something that no non-Israeli had ever won.” (09:11) Reflects on Trump’s hunger for peace and speculates this wouldn’t have happened under Biden or Harris.
[10:50] Greg Gutfeld:
Marvels at the sudden silence from Trump’s critics when major achievements are made.
“Every day you hear how awful Donald Trump is. Until something like this happens and it just goes deathly quiet.” (11:10)
Urges listeners—especially Trump opponents—to use this moment as inspiration for mending personal rifts with Trump supporters.
“If Trump can do that, maybe it’s time that you decide that you were a little harsh on your friends because they happened to see something in Trump that you missed.” (11:40)
Frames Trump as someone coming from the “world of the unacceptable” who pursues big goals against the grain of professional politicians.
[15:15] Jesse Waters:
Describes protests against ICE facilities in Portland and Obama’s public discontent with Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Chicago.
[16:13] Jesse Waters and Greg Gutfeld:
Mock Obama’s comments and lament how crime issues are used for political points.
[18:05] Dana Perino:
Posits that, in practice, Obama would also have to act to protect federal officers if he were still president.
[19:30] Harold Ford Jr.:
Supports using National Guard temporarily when cities are overwhelmed, but argues more resources, not indefinite federal presence, are needed to solve local crime.
[21:18] Greg Gutfeld:
Expresses frustration over lack of progress on ending cashless bail and other urban crime solutions.
[21:54] Harold Ford Jr.:
Explains the limits of federal authority—encouragement, not mandates, is possible.
[22:54] Kennedy:
Criticizes city mayors for disconnect between leadership and law enforcement, and highlights cultural divides within cities like Portland.
Trump on Settling Wars:
“When you settle eight wars in eight months, that means you don’t like war.” (00:49, Donald Trump)
Kennedy on Hostage Release:
“Speaker of the Knesset said that President Trump is the greatest ally Israel has ever had.” (09:11)
Greg Gutfeld on Political Division:
“If Trump can do that, maybe it’s time that you decide that you were a little harsh on your friends because they happened to see something in Trump that you missed.” (11:40)
Jesse Waters on Policy Change:
“He sold the Arab leaders technology instead of just weaponry.” (03:32)
Harold Ford Jr. on Emerging Leadership:
“Will there be a new generation of leadership that emerges as we think about the way Gaza is going to be governed?” (06:51)
This episode of The Five provides a comprehensive discussion of President Trump’s significant diplomatic achievement in the Middle East, highlighting widespread (and rare) bipartisan praise for his efforts. The panel explores the ripple effects on global politics, U.S. urban issues, media integrity, and the evolving landscape of American partisanship. Memorable moments punctuate the broadcast with both gravity and humor, making the episode compelling for listeners interested in both foreign and domestic policy.