Podcast Summary: The Five – "Trump Has Dem Heads Spinning"
Date: October 30, 2025
Host & Panelists: Kayleigh McEnany (host), Jessica Tarlow, Charlie Hurt, Dana Perino, Greg Gutfeld
Podcast: FOX News Podcasts
Overview
This episode of The Five dissects the current state of Democratic leadership post-Biden, Trump’s continued influence over American politics, and the turbulent dynamics within both parties. The panel discusses everything from rumors about future Democratic candidates to reactions following the Biden and Trump administrations, viral moments and extreme rhetoric on both sides, US-China relations under Trump, and even the role of humanoid robots in daily life. The tone is lively, combative, and often irreverent, with each co-host bringing pointed opinions and humor to the hottest political stories of the day.
Key Topics & Insights
1. Democratic Leadership Post-Biden
(00:05–09:02)
- Gavin Newsom in the Spotlight: Panelists discuss Newsom’s defense of Biden and his fluctuating public personality, with Greg Gutfeld joking, “the problem with Gavin Newsom is he’s totally delusional” (07:40).
- Kamala Harris’s Disappointment: Dana Perino recounts Harris’s frustration at Biden’s self-centered support call, “I was angry and deeply disappointed. It just was so unnecessary… his motivation was all about himself.” (01:33)
- Party Soul-Searching: Dana Perino suggests Democrats need someone willing to admit mistakes: “Whichever Democrat is willing to stand up and give a full-throated defense of saying that was a terrible administration… that will be the person that Democrats can figure out a way to build a coalition around.” (04:34)
2. Messaging, Polling, and Policy Divides
(05:14–13:12)
- Diverse Claims on Biden’s Success: Jessica Tarlow acknowledges some Biden legislative wins but questions the narrative of “best president of the last century,” noting, “Americans are going to try voting for us in the midterm.” (06:54)
- Economic Debate: Kayleigh McEnany and Greg Gutfeld contrast poor polling numbers to supposed Democratic strengths, with Gutfeld emphasizing Trump’s risk-taking and popularity on policy: “He’s made the economy a lot better for a lot of people… If it were just based on those issues, [Trump’s] popularity would be a lot higher.” (07:40)
- Identity & Strategy: Greg Gutfeld highlights the challenges for Democrats, “If you have to set the record straight with Democrats about the past, they’re just gonna try to come back with the same crap… The science has been settled.” (09:13)
3. Civility, Extremism & Public Debate
(13:12–22:01)
- Turning Point USA at Ole Miss: Panelists praise a civil and substantive campus event featuring Erica Kirk and J.D. Vance, contrasting it to hateful rhetoric from the left, such as a liberal podcaster’s celebration of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
- Jessica Tarlow: “I loved what [Erica Kirk] said about encouraging young people to find your voice and that Charlie thought you were the courageous generation.” (19:01)
- Hollywood Walkback: Jamie Lee Curtis’s equivocation over expressing sympathy for Charlie Kirk’s death is critiqued as “cowardice… worse than what her friends demanded from her” (Greg Gutfeld, 16:25).
- Role Models: Kayleigh lauds Erica Kirk as “the Esther of our time” and a rare example of positive leadership and forgiveness: “She’s a female role model to people on both sides of the aisle.” (20:26)
4. Trump’s Asia Trip and US-China Dealings
(22:31–29:38)
- Tariffs, Rare Earths, and Trade Diplomacy: Trump’s meeting with Xi is hailed by panelists as a coup, with Trump grading it “a 12 out of 10” (23:25). Dana Perino underscores the hands-on approach: “He identifies obvious, fixable, relatable problems and then goes and fixes them.” (23:29)
- Tactics & Bargaining: Greg and Charlie riff on Trump’s negotiation methods, describing them as “Schrodinger’s threat”—a threat made real by acting on it (25:19).
- Critique of Outcomes: Jessica Tarlow pushes back, “12 out of 10 seems a little generous… [Trump] created a problem out of nowhere. It’s just flat out a problem for farmers that China stopped buying our soybeans…” (27:22)
5. ICE, Law Enforcement & Rhetoric about Immigration
(30:11–35:20)
- Controversial Claims: The show highlights inflammatory accusations by Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson regarding ICE agents, such as “zip tying black babies.” Dana Perino demands evidence: “If you’re going to say something like that, you better have some evidence.” (30:53)
- Media and Reality Checks: Kayleigh debunks viral stories, citing officials: “Children were never tied up. This is a shameful and disgusting lie. She posted an example of a parody video on TikTok… that was used to suggest children were zip tied.” (34:47)
- Cities & One-Party Rule: Jessica Tarlow and the panel critique urban governance and call for balanced, evidence-driven discussions on immigration enforcement.
6. Tech, Robotics, and Light-Hearted Endings
(35:40–38:03)
- Rise of Home Robots: The introduction of “Neo,” a $20,000 robot, sparks debate on utility and privacy, with Greg Gutfeld mocking, “You pay 20 grand and then have to hire a servant to run the thing. I don’t think it’s that good a deal.” (37:25)
- Humor, Culture, and Halloween: The episode ends with lighter stories about monkeys in diaper Halloween antics, pets in costumes, and community festivities.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Democratic Unity:
- Dana Perino (04:34): “Whichever Democrat is willing to stand up and give a full-throated defense of saying that was a terrible administration… that will be the person that Democrats can figure out a way to build a coalition around.”
-
On Kamala Harris & Biden:
- Dana Perino as Kamala Harris (01:33): “I was angry and deeply disappointed. It just was so unnecessary… his motivation was all about himself.”
-
On Trump’s Success:
- Greg Gutfeld (07:40): “He’s made the economy a lot better… at the end of the day, that’s the only thing that’s going to matter.”
-
On Left Wing Rhetoric:
- Greg Gutfeld on Jamie Lee Curtis (16:25): “It’s almost as though her cowardice is worse than what her friends demanded from her.”
-
On Campus Civility:
- Jessica Tarlow (19:01): “I loved what [Erica Kirk] said about encouraging young people to find your voice and that Charlie thought you were the courageous generation.”
-
On Trump’s China Summit:
- Trump (23:25): “I would say the [meeting] was a 12.”
- Dana Perino (23:44): “He identifies obvious, fixable, relatable problems and then goes and fixes them.”
-
On Claims Against ICE:
- Dana Perino (30:53): “If you’re going to say something like that, you better have some evidence.”
-
On Robotics:
- Greg Gutfeld (37:25): “You pay 20 grand and then have to hire a servant to run the thing. I don’t think it’s that good of a deal. Plus, I don’t want a relationship with my appliances.”
Important Timestamps
- 00:05–03:20: Dems in disarray, Newsom’s praise of Biden, Kamala’s Biden complaint
- 04:34: Dana’s take on Dems needing a new path
- 06:54: Jessica Tarlow on Biden’s legislative wins & electoral outlook
- 09:13: Gutfeld on Democratic image problem, media complicity, and 'affordability'
- 13:12: Ole Miss event lauded as model of civil debate
- 16:25: Criticism of Jamie Lee Curtis walkback
- 19:01: Jessica’s praise for Erica Kirk
- 22:31: Trump’s China delegation and tariffs
- 23:25: Trump’s “12 out of 10” meeting with Xi
- 27:22: Economic impacts of China-US negotiations
- 30:11: Brandon Johnson’s accusations about ICE
- 34:47: Kayleigh debunks viral ICE allegations
- 35:40–38:03: Tech talk: Neo humanoid robot
- 38:15–40:23: Halloween & light moments (costumed pets, escapee cows)
Tone & Style
Consistently energetic, pointed, and irreverent. The hosts deploy political sarcasm, direct policy criticism, and humor throughout as they analyze, debate, and occasionally lampoon opposing viewpoints.
Bottom Line
A fast-paced, wide-ranging episode in which The Five offers both partisan analysis and cultural commentary, focusing on the fallout from recent Democratic leadership, the enduring presence of Trump, public discourse standards, and the color of American politics in the latter half of the decade.