Podcast Summary: The Five

Episode: Walz Against the Wall
Date: December 29, 2025
Panel: Rosanna Scotto, Kellyanne Conway, Jessica Tarlov, Guy Benson, Tyrus

Overview

This episode of "The Five" dissects several headline topics, beginning with a massive fraud scandal in Minnesota reportedly costing taxpayers billions, and its political and social repercussions. The conversation expands to Trump’s diplomatic efforts with Ukraine, Russia, and Israel; Nancy Pelosi's predictions and the political climate heading to the 2026 midterms; controversial comments from LA’s mayor regarding Latino Border Patrol agents; and closes with lighter segments on current events and uplifting anecdotes.

1. Minnesota Fraud Scandal & Governor Walz ([00:33]–[12:33])

Theme:
Allegations of widespread state and federal fraud in Minnesota, totaling up to $9 billion, centered on daycare and child nutrition programs linked to the Somali community and oversight failures.

Key Points & Discussion:

• Viral Exposé: Journalist Nick Shirley's video, which shows daycares receiving government funds but operating with “no kids inside,” garners over 114 million views ([00:33]–[02:01]).
• Political Fallout: Governor Tim Walz's office claims years of anti-fraud efforts. Panel scrutinizes this, citing the scale and persistence of the fraud.
  • Kellyanne Conway: “A learning center that has no students… can’t spell the word learning correctly. ...The Democrats who won’t do the nonpartisan thing and get our taxpayer dollars back, are either complicit or inept. And I think in this case, Tim Walz is both.” ([03:42]–[06:30])
• Sensitivity & Scapegoating: Discussion on reluctance to pursue investigations due to fear of being called racist or Islamophobic, as the fraud heavily involves individuals from the Somali community.
  • Guy Benson: “They basically said, all right, investigators in the Waltz administration, ...if you look into us too closely, we will call you racist publicly. That’s the New York Times reporting.” ([06:49])
  • Jessica Tarlov: “...fraud should be stamped out everywhere...people took Covid money, abused that while folks were dying, while kids weren’t allowed to go to school.” ([08:17])
• Call for Accountability:
  • Tyrus: “He [Walz] needs to resign. I would resign if I was the governor and this happened on my watch… I will be racist. I will be islamophobic because I’m a moneyist. I want to know why money is. So if that makes me racist, ...so what?” ([10:48])

Notable Quotes:

• “We don’t pick the races or the ethnicity of the criminals. They’ve picked themselves. This whole scapegoating is like the new PC Woke.” —Kellyanne Conway ([03:42])
• “There’s crooks on both sides. ...But here, you caught somebody, you got a whole group, you have a whole country using America to launder their money.” —Tyrus ([10:48])
• “The biggest story about this came from the New York Times and it made liberals look terrible.” —Jessica Tarlov ([08:17])

2. Trump’s Peacemaking Diplomacy ([13:33]–[22:24])

Theme:
President Trump’s recent hosting of world leaders at Mar-a-Lago—Zelensky, Netanyahu, and a call with Putin—spurs discussion about U.S. diplomatic efforts, the Ukraine war, and perceptions of Trump as a “peacemaker.”

Key Points & Discussion:

• Trump’s Meetings:
  • Trump hosts Zelensky and Netanyahu, claims “lot of progress” ([13:33]–[15:00]).
  • Has a “productive phone call” with Putin, defuses a negative press question ([13:59]).
  • Welcomes the press for lunch: “If you’d like, you can come up and have lunch like you did yesterday. ...Some of them think it’s terrible. It’s a bribe, but you know, a bribe for $25.” ([14:38])
• Panel’s Analysis:
  • Rosanna: Observes Trump’s calm demeanor, credits “balmy Palm Beach” for smoothing the tone ([15:15]).
  • Guy Benson: Expresses skepticism about Russian cooperation—“unless Putin and the Russians are willing to play ball… for now, it’s all talk.” ([16:44])
  • Jessica Tarlov: Compares this to the “Helsinki press conference” and says the idea that “Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed” is ludicrous ([18:24]).
• Israel-Hamas Peace: Panel shows hope but skepticism, with Jessica saying, “less war is better… but it is not finished” ([20:32]).

Notable Quotes:

• “He’s accused of being on the golf course every day. This guy is literally the peacemaker and deal maker.” —D ([15:00])
• “He [Trump] said something like 95%. I hope he’s right about that. ...unless Putin and the Russians are willing to play ball… for now, it’s all talk.” —Guy Benson ([16:44])
• “Trump had the audacity to say Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed. Zelensky...broke a little bit of a smile at that point, because you have never heard anything more ludicrous…” —Jessica Tarlov ([18:24])

3. 2026 Midterms & Pelosi’s Prediction ([23:07]–[31:15])

Theme:
Nancy Pelosi’s bold forecast that Democrats will retake the House; the panel debates the party’s prospects—especially with young men, shifting economic politics, and the changing Democratic coalition.

Key Points & Discussion:

• Pelosi’s Prediction: Declares, “when the Democrats win the House back...” ([23:26])
• Gen Z & Young Men:
  • Tyrus: Argues the Democratic Party alienates men and masculinity, says, “They haven’t changed anything. ...They attacked masculinity as a whole. Anyone who peed standing up was a problem.” ([24:10])
  • Jessica: Cites reversal in Gen Z’s voting and focus on economic issues, not favorability
    • “People vote because of the economy. ...10% unemployment for young Americans.” ([27:02])
• Republican Strategy:
  • Kellyanne: Says GOP must “finish their sentences”—connect economic growth to average people’s lives, and involve young men in “ownership society” (own homes, start families).
    • “Inflation is not a sentence. Afghanistan, Biden, Pelosi, these are not sentences. They're barely words.” ([28:20])
• Party Identity:
  • Rosanna: Says Pelosi is out of touch, “It’s not the Democratic Party that Nancy Pelosi left when she was House Speaker.” ([30:40])

Notable Quotes:

• “There are just two genders. There is this and that. I don’t. Neopronouns is just us being bored during the pandemic.” —Tyrus ([24:10])
• “We are smart enough and young men are smart enough and thirsty enough to get the full problem and solution together.” —Kellyanne Conway ([28:20])

4. LA Mayor Bass & Latino Border Patrol Agents ([31:44]–[36:24])

Theme:
Controversy erupts as LA Mayor Karen Bass laments Latinos joining the Border Patrol, questioning their motives and causing backlash on the panel.

Key Points & Discussion:

• Bass's Comment: Suggests Hispanic agents have a “difficult time” due to their ethnicity and financial motivations ([31:56]).
  • Tyrus: Condemns the remarks, calls for her resignation.
    • “That is the most incendiary, disgusting, racist thing I have ever heard said to a group of people by someone who's in leadership.” ([32:37])
• Panel Reaction:
  • Kellyanne: Emphasizes celebration of Hispanic participation in law enforcement and their commitment to U.S. values ([33:55]).
  • Rosanna: Points out that recent immigrants, having followed the law, may be particularly offended. Wonders whether any Latin American country would tolerate U.S.-style border chaos ([35:10]).
• Deportation Debate:
  • Guy notes ICE statistics showing most people deported had criminal convictions or charges ([35:59]).

Notable Quotes:

• “Just because you’re Latino doesn’t mean you don’t respect law and order, doesn’t mean that you don’t want your borders closed. ...Someone should be calling for her job.” —Tyrus ([32:37])
• “I think that it should not be denigrated, it should actually be celebrated that so many Hispanics want to grab that badge and serve...” —Kellyanne Conway ([33:55])

5. Lighter Fast Takes & “One More Thing” ([36:41]–[41:08])

Segments:

• Lane Kiffin’s Shopping Cart Caper: Panel jokes about LSU’s coach carrying groceries home in a store basket rather than paying for a bag fee ([36:41]).
• Firefighter Dog Rescue: “Spanky” the dog saved from a storm drain ([38:48]).
• 104-Year-Old WWII Vet Plays Anthem: Touching crowd response at hockey game ([39:31]).
• Bear Sighting & Car Crash: Entertaining stories to round out the show ([40:09]).

Quotes & Memorable Moments:

• “He should resign. Stealing a cart. He stole that. That’s store property.” —Tyrus, humorously applying resignation logic to bag fees ([37:10])
• “God bless him. National treasure.” —On 104-year-old vet performing the anthem ([40:07])

Highlight Timestamps

• [02:43] — Tense exchange about scapegoating and the scale of the Minnesota fraud
• [06:49] — Race-baiting as an obstacle to investigation, NYT corroboration
• [10:48] — Tyrus's fiery resignation call for Gov. Walz
• [14:38] — Trump offers lunch to attending press
• [16:44] — Guy Benson analyzes Trump’s Ukraine optimism, Putin skepticism
• [24:10] — Tyrus’s extended criticism of Democratic stance on masculinity and young men
• [32:37] — Tyrus's condemnation of Karen Bass’s comments
• [39:31] — WWII vet plays national anthem; emotional highlight

Tone & Takeaways: The episode mixes tenacious investigative discussion, pointed political critique, and irreverent banter. Panelists are openly critical about public figures' actions, with particular scrutiny of Democratic officials’ handling of fraud, border policy, and outreach to young men. Discussions are blunt and combative, but leavened with humor, especially in lighter segments.

For Listeners New to the Episode:
You'll come away with fresh details on the Minnesota fraud case, honest perspectives (often critical) on both parties’ pitfalls, and spirited punditry on the evolving American political scene—punctuated by memorable commentary and a dose of Fox-style sarcasm.