Podcast Summary: The Five

Episode: Violent Left-Wing Agitators Cause Mayhem In MN
Date: January 16, 2026
Host / Panel: Kayleigh McEnany, Harold Ford Jr., Jesse Watters, Dana Brino, Greg Gutfeld

Overview

In this episode, "The Five" panel takes on the escalating violence and protests in Minneapolis, especially targeting left-wing agitators and the response to ICE-involved shootings. The discussion also explores broader cultural and political divides, how the media covers these incidents, skepticism about left-wing talking points from gender to climate, and a dose of personal banter and humorous commentary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mayhem in Minneapolis: ICE-Involved Incidents and Political Fallout

[00:34 – 08:58]

• Violence in Minnesota:
  The show opens discussing violent riots in Minneapolis after a second ICE-involved shooting, including protestors ransacking an FBI vehicle, stealing weapons, and burning documents.
• White House/Media Critique:
  The hosts critique the media and Biden administration for their framing and perceived bias regarding the incidents.
  • Quote (Kayleigh McEnany, 02:11):
    "You're a left wing hack. You're not a reporter. You're posing in this room as a journalist."
• Governor Tim Walz and Mayoral Messaging:
  The panel slams Governor Walz for a "mixed message"—fanning the flames with calls to resist and record ICE agents, then asking the public to "turn down the temperature."
  • Quote (Kayleigh McEnany, 03:17):
    "It's a little odd to say resist ICE and then the next morning turn down the temperature, right?"
• The ‘Sanctuary State’ Contagion:
  Dana Brino reports New Jersey is passing a sanctuary bill despite Minneapolis chaos, expressing disbelief at leaders following failed policies.
• Insurrection Act Debate:
  Panelists debate whether Trump should invoke the Insurrection Act, with McEnany citing Section 332 to suggest these are clear obstructionists.
• Critical View of Law Enforcement Retreat:
  Dana Brino draws parallels with post-George Floyd policy, criticizing what she sees as attacks on policing leading to urban chaos.
  • Quote (Dana Brino, 07:00):
    "You defund the police, you say you're gonna prosecute the bad apples and then they have to retreat and they're forced into early retirement. And then all hell breaks loose on the streets."

2. Political and Media Handling of the Crisis

[08:58 – 14:54]

• Call for Presidential Leadership:
  Harold Ford Jr. suggests convening state and local leaders at the White House rather than escalating.
  • Quote (Harold Ford Jr., 09:03):
    "We've reached a point where the convening power of the President is probably the most powerful and corrective and healing thing we can do."
• Media Framing and Ilhan Omar:
  The panel spotlights Ilhan Omar’s demand for ICE to leave, mocking her statements and alleging she misleads about ICE arrests.
  • Quote (Greg Gutfeld, 11:34):
    "Next thing she's gonna tell us is she didn't marry her brother."
• Motivations of Protesters:
  Gutfeld offers a psychological take, asserting for many agitators, “the confrontation… is their therapy,” and their objectives are ever-moving.
  • Quote (Greg Gutfeld, 12:40):
    "It will never be enough, because that's their gift... the agitation is their therapy."

3. Gender, Science, and Language in the Culture Wars

[15:46 – 22:44]

• Can Men Get Pregnant?
  The group ridicules a Senate hearing where Dr. Nisha Verma avoided giving a yes/no answer on whether men can get pregnant, equating the incident with erosion of scientific clarity and common sense.
  • Quote (Kayleigh McEnany, 16:43):
    "As a woman who's been pregnant three times, it's deeply insulting to suggest that Greg or Jesse or Harold could endure what we women endure. It is ten months of hell."
  • Quote (Greg Gutfeld, 19:00):
    "The right uses language as it's intended to convey direct meaning, sometimes to a fault... The left uses language in reverse to confuse or obscure meaning."
• Political Ramifications:
  Jesse Watters predicts Democrats will be pressed on issues like transgender participation in sports and language around pregnancy in the 2026 election cycle.
• Medical Establishment Critique:
  Dana Brino accuses the medical profession of bowing to politics instead of standing up for truth on gender and health.

4. Democracy and Media: Fears of Martial Law and Election Cancellation

[23:30 – 29:54]

• Democrats’ Anxiety Over Trump:
  The panel lampoons prominent Democrats (and Joy Behar) for allegedly stoking fears Trump could cancel elections or declare martial law—a scenario they dismiss as paranoid hyperbole.
  • Quote (Greg Gutfeld, 28:24):
    "The resistance media personalities of the first term are dying to get back into business."
• Panel's Push for Focusing on Real Issues:
  Harold Ford Jr. urges Democrats to focus on “what voters are most concerned about”—housing, AI, and prices—not “weird, massive, outrageous conspiracy theories.”
• Hyperbole Overload:
  The group pokes fun at the rhetorical excesses—like “greatest threat to democracy since the Civil War”—observing that such statements don’t match reality.

5. Kamala Harris’ "Cam-a-Lago" Mansion Purchase and Climate Hypocrisy

[30:17 – 34:15]

• Kamala Harris’ Real Estate Decision:
  Segment explores Kamala Harris’ new $8 million Malibu home, mocking the contradiction between her climate rhetoric and coastal living.
  • Quote (Jesse Watters, 31:51):
    "They don't believe that climate change is going to lead to flooding on the coast. They don't believe that and so we shouldn't believe them."
• Politicians and Wealth:
  Gutfeld generalizes that Democratic politicians become wealthy through political careers, while Republicans "didn't do it for the dough. They did it because they were patriots."
• Discussion of Kamala's Future:
  Kayleigh McEnany claims Harris is plotting her next run for office from her new mansion.

6. Lighthearted Segment: "Choremance" and Panel Banter

[34:36 – 36:36]

• Is Doing Chores Romantic?
  The team riff on a "choremance" trend—doing chores as a couple. It spirals into jokes, innuendo, and personal anecdotes, providing comic relief.
  • Quote (Greg Gutfeld, 34:49):
    "Yes, we do it naked. No, actually... it reminds you that you're a team."
  • Quote (Kayleigh McEnany, 36:13):
    "There's nothing more romantic than a clean house. And that is spoken like a true trad wife."

7. End Notes: “One More Thing” and Human Interest

[37:28 – End]

• Human Interest and Recommendations:
  Segment features lighter stories: European traditions, a walrus from the Indianapolis Zoo, a heroic rideshare driver saving dogs, police officers helping Kayleigh McEnany, and book recommendations.
• Commemorating MLK Day:
  Harold Ford Jr. honors Martin Luther King Jr. on his birthday, highlighting acts of kindness in his spirit.
• Book Plug:
  Jesse Watters plugs “Mean Dads for a Better America” as a fun, cross-partisan read.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Media Bias and Messaging:

  • Kayleigh McEnany [02:11]: "You're a left wing hack. You're not a reporter. You're posing in this room as a journalist."
  • Jesse Watters [02:20]: "The people in the media who have such biases, you should be reporting on the facts."

• On Political Leadership:

  • Harold Ford Jr. [09:03]: "The convening power of the President is probably the most powerful and corrective and healing thing we can do at the moment."

• On Language and Debate:

  • Greg Gutfeld [19:00]: "The left uses language in reverse to confuse or obscure meaning. It's like they throw a smoke bomb in a debate class."

• On "Cancel the Midterms" Fears:

  • Greg Gutfeld [28:24]: "The resistance media personalities of the first term are dying to get back into business."

• On Politicians and Wealth:

  • Greg Gutfeld [31:52]: "If you look at Obama, if you look at the Clintons, Biden, all Democrats and all poor until they got into politics and then they got rich. But Republicans, the Bushes, Trump, Reagan, they didn't do it for the dough. They did it because they were patriots."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Minnesota Violence & ICE Shootings: 00:34 – 08:58
• Media & Political Reactions: 08:58 – 14:54
• Ilhan Omar/Protest Motives: 11:09 – 14:54
• ‘Can Men Get Pregnant’ Senate Hearing: 15:46 – 22:44
• Martial Law / Midterm Fears: 23:30 – 29:54
• Kamala Harris’ Mansion / Climate Policy: 30:17 – 34:15
• ‘Choremance’ Trend & Personal Jokes: 34:36 – 36:36
• Lighter ‘One More Thing’ Stories: 37:28 – End

Tone and Language

Throughout, the panel employs sarcasm, pointed humor, and combative banter, with a clear conservative viewpoint and a frequent skewering of left-leaning politicians, activists, and media narratives. Jokes, pop culture references, and playful ribbing provide comic relief amid serious topics.