Podcast Summary: The Five — "Trump Kicks Off Midterms Blitz In Iowa"

Date: January 27, 2026
Host: FOX News Podcasts

Overview

This episode of The Five centers on former President Donald Trump’s high-profile campaign rally in Iowa, marking the official kickoff of the 2026 midterms blitz. The panel—Jesse Waters, Dana Perino, Emily Compagno, Harold Ford Jr., and Tyrus—debate Trump’s political strategies, the latest policy moves (such as the $100 billion tax refund and deregulation), the condition of the Democratic field, ongoing immigration controversies, and media rivalries as the midterms approach. The tone is energetic, mixing policy analysis with the show’s trademark banter and sharp wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Iowa Kickoff and Economic Strategy

• Trump’s Tax Refund Bonanza
  • Trump is distributing a $100 billion tax refund in hopes of boosting GOP performance at the polls.
  • Jesse Waters: “The strategy is simple. Put money in voters’ wallets and get rewarded at the polls.” [01:19]
• Why Iowa?
  • Dana Perino notes Trump’s Iowa choice is strategic: a reliably red state with key economic and farming concerns, but also one where GOP must stay vigilant if Democrats are energized.
  • Dana Perino: “It also forces those states where you might have an issue—a lack of enthusiasm for voters—your local press, your local social media’s going to be focused on the visit.” [02:28]

2. Voter Enthusiasm and Political Tactics

• Grassroots Mobilization
  • Tyrus stresses that success depends on energizing disinterested voters beyond the engaged political class.
  • Tyrus: “It’s the rest of the country who’s living their lives, who don’t watch TV, that just vote, ‘Well, I’m a Democrat, so here’s my vote.’ That’s who you got to get paying attention… President Trump should be like, ‘I’ll come to your town and help you.’” [03:40]
• Democratic Reaction
  • Harold Ford Jr. says Democrats welcome Trump dominating headlines, believing competition spurs both parties:
  • Ford: “As a Democrat, I’m glad he’s there because I want voters to win between now and November.” [06:52]

3. Economic Hopes and Regulatory Burdens

• Tax Relief Is Not Enough
  • Emily Compagno, with personal experience as a small business owner, speaks to the dual challenges of taxes and regulations:
  • Emily: “That tax relief, it goes so far, but I think the regulatory relief—that will drive people to the voting polls.” [07:00]
  • Anecdote: Shared her Uber driver’s struggles and small vineyard business’s burden under local/state taxes and regulations. [07:00–09:03]
• Debate Over Deregulation Pace
  • Ford critiques the slow pace, suggesting executive action; Compagno and Tyrus argue it’s due to entrenched Biden-era regulations.
  • Emily: “It's so difficult to disentangle ourselves, these regulations from what we inherited specifically from the Biden administration.” [09:37]

4. Minneapolis Immigration Firestorm

• Biden’s Critique & Trump’s Law Enforcement Shuffle
  • Biden posts on X accusing Trump of “targeting American citizens.” [11:03]
  • Trump replaces ICE leadership in Minneapolis, claiming to de-escalate while working with state and local leaders for crowd control and public safety.
  • Trump: “Tom [Holman] is very good…he gets along very good with governors and mayors.” [11:44]
• Partisan Tensions Over Immigration
  • Jesse Waters criticizes both local resistance and the administration’s compromise, arguing for stricter immigration enforcement:
  • “Are we saying now that we’re just going to wait for illegals to commit crimes?” [13:17]
• Community and Law Enforcement Challenges
  • Discussion of how sanctuary policies and lack of local-federal cooperation complicate both crime prevention and immigrant rights.
  • Tyrus: “The Democrats ... are assisting the worst criminals in the world because they are providing them cover.”

5. Trump’s Iowa Speech: Themes and Claims

• Victories & Economic Boasts
  • Trump touts his electoral wins, economic gains, crackdown on regulations, investment, stock market highs, and military/police recruitment surges:
  • “We won the Electoral College 312 to 226. We won the popular vote for the first time of any Republican in many decades…America is respected all over the world.” [21:37–26:59]
• Exaggerated Rhetoric
  • Frequent claims of ending inflation, closing the border, and dramatic economic turnaround.
• Shoutout to John Deere
  • Applauds the company’s investment in a new North Carolina plant, linking tariffs to American manufacturing growth. [29:00]

6. Panel Analysis: Messaging, Turnout, and Political "Sex Appeal"

• Waters’ Playbook for Trump
  • Suggests Trump should keep messaging simple—econ boom, low crime, strong border—and “run it as hot as you can into November.” [34:41]
• Ford’s Critique of Speech Content
  • Ford wanted more focus on forward-looking solutions: tariffs, health care costs, housing, and job creation.
  • “No one goes to the store saying I want an iPhone 10. They want the new stuff.” [35:31]
• Mobilizing the Electorate
  • Compagno suggests a “Noah’s Ark” approach—everyone brings a non-voter to the polls. [37:27]
• Tyrus on Charisma in Politics
  • Trump’s dominance on stage overshadows down-ballot Republicans:
  • “He is the main event. He's the opening act. He’s just too damn sexy for everybody.” [38:13, lighthearted tone]

7. Democratic Rivals: Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris

• Dynamic (or Dysfunctional) Duo?
  • The panel revels in Newsom and Harris’s maneuvering, quoting a book from PA Gov. Josh Shapiro about Harris’s reluctance to partner with him (and even forgoing her own bathroom). [40:13]
  • Emily: “Kamala Harris didn’t want a collaborative relationship if [Shapiro] became her running mate. Apparently, she disliked being Joe’s number two and even complained about not having her own private bathroom. Rough life.” [40:13]
• Newsom’s Policies Criticized
  • Waters and Tyrus lampoon Newsom’s record (“decriminalized prostitution...paved the way for reparations...gas prices like highest besides Hawaii...free sex change surgeries for prisoners on death row”), calling it a “buffet of vulnerability.” [44:24]
  • Dana Perino: “It’s hard to run for president if your nickname is Governor U Haul.” [43:22]
• Ford’s Forward-Looking Advice for Dems
  • Ford says Dems should stop rehashing old spats and lay out concrete positive plans:
  • “We as a nation have to grapple with the kind of conversation and bring costs down and keep us healthier. This nonsense these guys are talking about looking—Shapiro was right. Don't look back backwards… talk about your answers for the future.” [46:18]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jesse Waters: “The strategy is simple. Put money in voters wallets and get rewarded at the polls.” [01:19]
• Tyrus: “He is the main event. He's the opening act...he's just too damn sexy for everybody.” [38:13]
• Dana Perino: “It’s hard to run for president if your nickname is Governor U Haul.” [43:22]
• Harold Ford Jr.: “No one goes to the store saying I want an iPhone 10. They want the new stuff. The president's got to tell people how lives are going to be better for them.” [35:31]
• Emily Compagno: “That tax relief, it goes so far, but I think the regulatory relief—that will drive people to the voting polls to say, yes, thank you and let’s keep it exactly how we are.” [07:00]
• Trump (on regulatory reform): “I've cut a record number of job killing regulations. The reason our job numbers are so good...it includes dozens of burdensome regulations that were crushing our amazing farmers. We love our farmers.” [32:00]
• Trump (regarding economic progress): “This has been the most dramatic one year turnaround of any country in history in terms of the speed.” [27:00]
• Harold Ford Jr.: “If you're going to talk about how you're going to make people's lives better, that's how you win elections.” [35:31]
• Tyrus (on Democratic infighting): “If they were sanctuary cities, if they actually worked with the President...the Democrats, they’re so focused on being anti-Trump that they are assisting the worst criminals in the world because they are providing them cover.” [18:34]

Important Timestamps

• Trump’s opening remarks and economic boasts: [00:51], [21:37–32:00]
• Iowa rally strategy analysis: [01:42]
• Panel discussion on party enthusiasm/regulatory hurdles: [03:10–09:03]
• Minneapolis immigration issue: [11:03–15:23]
• Panel reactions to Trump’s Iowa speech: [34:12–38:11]
• Mockery of Newsom, Harris, and rival Democrats: [40:13–45:41]

Tone & Takeaways

• The episode is characteristically combative, humorous, and populist.
• Trump’s team is betting on economic “wins” to drive turnout, while Democrats are depicted as mired in internal disputes.
• Key issues: economic relief vs. regulatory drag, urban unrest, immigration policy, and the vulnerabilities of Democratic frontrunners.
• Much playful ribbing and inside-joke banter, especially about political charisma and “sex appeal” in modern campaigning.
• The group agrees: winning requires fresh ideas and grassroots enthusiasm, not just reliving past glories or scandals.

Summary prepared for listeners who want a thorough, content-rich snapshot of this episode’s big debates, main themes, and the energy of The Five panel.