The Five

Episode Title: Zo-mance
Date: November 25, 2025
Host: Jesse Watters
Panelists: Greg Gutfeld, Kellyanne Conway, Jessica Tarlov, Kennedy
Podcast: FOX News Podcasts

Episode Overview

The panel dives into the unexpected "bromance"—dubbed “Zo-mance”—between President Trump and the incoming NYC mayor, Zoran Mamdani ("Zoran the Destroyer"), after their widely discussed Oval Office meeting. The show breaks down the chemistry between the supposed political adversaries, reactions from both the political left and right, and explores the implications for cross-party collaboration. The episode also tackles controversy over a group of Democratic senators’ video challenging military compliance with orders, the crisis in Chicago after a violent Christmas tree lighting, Hillary Clinton’s latest digs at Trump, and ends with speculation on the future of money, plus some Thanksgiving-themed fun.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump & Zoran: The Political Odd Couple

(01:04–11:17)

• Meeting Recap & Chemistry

  • The media expected a fierce confrontation between Trump and socialist mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani. Instead, the two found surprising agreement on the issue of affordability.
  • Jesse Watters (01:04): “President Trump hitting it off with Zoran the Destroyer...the chemistry between them was, well, undeniable.”
  • Greg Gutfeld describes this as political high ground: “Zoran had learned from Trump. He chose the high ground maneuver, which is affordability...You can’t come out against affordability the same way you can’t come out against common sense.” (03:36)

• Surprise for Both Sides

  • Conservatives were stunned to see Trump charmed by Mamdani, and even defending him over accusations of fascism.
  • Kennedy (07:18): “This is classic Trump. He’s the charmer here...hoping that this guy will not follow through on some of his radical ideas.”
  • Jessica Tarlov (09:36): “He was certainly an adorable little fanboy in the Oval Office. And I actually think it’s a good model for how we should treat each other over Thanksgiving.”

• Common Ground & Populism

  • Both figures are positioned as populists with different branding, seeking to connect over affordability, a pressing voter concern.
  • Jessica Tarlov (09:36): “The affordability crisis is all about populism with a slightly different label.”

• Political Risks & Reactions

  • Mamdani’s willingness to work with Trump is described as undercutting progressive outrage and risky for his standing among left-wing supporters.
  • Online backlash among MAGA and progressive bases reacting with confusion or anger at the lack of confrontation.

• Quote – On Cross-Party Hope

  • Kennedy (11:17): “If we end up with a better country, I’m happy to be proven wrong on every single thing.”

2. Senate Democrats’ “Illegal Orders” Video Backlash

(12:42–23:36)

• Background

  • Senate Democrats, including Mark Kelly and Alyssa Slotkin, released a video urging military personnel to defy “illegal orders” from President Trump, without citing any actual illegal orders. The Pentagon is investigating possible misconduct.

• Panel Skepticism

  • Jesse Watters frames it as a calculated “destabilization operation” inspired by intelligence tactics: “It’s a destabilization operation where you get people to mistrust each other...straight out of the CIA playbook.” (14:32)
  • Greg Gutfeld lampoons the video as solving a “nonexistent problem” and claims it reflects Democratic tendency for grandstanding: “Another unnecessary solution to an imaginary problem.” (21:08)
  • Jessica Tarlov notes the dangerous precedent in confusing disagreeable orders with illegal ones: “There may be things about bombing boats in the Caribbean that I have an issue with...But I have not sworn an oath to the Constitution.” (16:54)
  • Kellyanne Conway argues the video simply reminds people of their duty to refuse unlawful orders, referencing historic and recent Trump controversies. (18:41)

• Memorable Analogy

  • Greg Gutfeld (21:08): “Like finding a seven year old who’s confused and saying, ‘You know what you have? You’re born in the wrong body. We need to chop off your junk.’”

• Cynicism About Motives

  • Panel suggests the video is more about stoking anti-Trump sentiment and keeping his opponents mobilized than actual military ethics.

3. Chicago Violence & Criminal Justice Debate

(24:35–33:22)

• Incident Recap

  • Recent violence in Chicago: a 14-year-old killed at a Christmas tree lighting, a woman set on fire on a train by a career criminal with 72 arrests.
  • Jessica Tarlov (24:36): “[The woman] was able to escape the train… No one on the train would help her. What does that tell you about Chicago?”

• Systemic Critique

  • Jesse Watters blames the city’s patronage system and progressive judges for chronic recidivism: “[Judge Molina] is the first Puerto Rican judge in Cook County. Woo hoo DEI judge. She said the only reason she went into law is because she found every other subject too confusing.”
  • Panel decries ‘empty the prisons’ ideology and failure of enforcement meant to prioritize second chances over public safety.
  • Kennedy (27:14): “This is all causation. If you have policies that…say we’re all worthy of…73 chances, this man had 72 arrests.”

• Policy Frustration

  • Kellyanne Conway (29:19): “I think every city mayor should find a way to get a ballot measure out…You can’t run a city like this.”

• Empathy or Elitism?

  • Greg Gutfeld criticizes the ‘credentialed class’ and the lack of contact with ordinary citizens: “Those who supported cashless bail…never ran it by anyone but their fellow elites.” (31:12)

4. Hillary Clinton’s Trump Obsession

(33:31–38:00)

• Viral Moment

  • Clinton, interrupted by a fire alarm at an event, jokes about needing a national sound system to proclaim, “He is gone,” referring to Trump. Panel riffs on her continued focus on Trump and the psychological grip he holds for his opponents.

  Quote:
  “I wish that there could be like a huge national sound system and we would all wake up and they’d say, attention, attention. We have found the problem and we have solved it. He is gone.”
  — Hillary Clinton, as recounted by Jessica Tarlov (34:15)

• Panel Reactions

  • Kennedy calls Clinton “patient zero for Trump derangement syndrome.”
  • Greg Gutfeld, Jessica Tarlov, and Kellyanne Conway debate whether Clinton’s grudge fuels opposition or just alienates more voters.
  • Jesse Watters (38:00): “If you have an unhealthy obsession with something, a professional will tell you, cut it out of your life. The problem is they can’t cut Trump out of their lives because he’s everywhere.”

5. Elon Musk & The Future of Money

(39:30–41:43)

• Elon’s Prediction
  • Kellyanne Conway summarizing Musk: “Elon Musk predicting that money may not matter in the future. Thanks to AI.”
  • Greg Gutfeld: “Energy and currency are becoming the same thing…We could just transfer energy.” (40:14)
  • Jessica Tarlov laughs about futurism: “Who cares if they’re right? No one’s going to be alive to know and fact check them.” (39:58)
  • Jesse Watters fires back, worried about the implications of too much automation and free time.

6. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Trump and Zoran’s Relationship

• Greg Gutfeld (03:36):
  “Is this Godzilla vs. Mothra? No, it’s really Batman and Robin. And we know who Batman is and we know who Robin is.”

On Clinton’s Sound System Remark

• Hillary Clinton (as recounted by Jessica Tarlov at 34:15):
  “We have found the problem and we have solved it. He is gone.”
• Kennedy:
  “She’s patient zero for Trump derangement syndrome.” (37:59)

On Political Grandstanding

• Greg Gutfeld (21:08):
  “Another unnecessary solution to an imaginary problem.”

On Recidivist Criminals

• Kennedy (27:14):
  “This is all causation. If you have policies that…say we’re all worthy of…73 chances, this man had 72 arrests.”
• Greg Gutfeld (31:12):
  “This guy had 72 strikes. That’s six perfect games.”

Important Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump and Zoran’s Meeting & Political Implications: 01:04–11:17
• Senate Dems ‘Illegal Orders’ Video/Civil-Military Tensions: 12:42–23:36
• Chicago Crime & Bail Reform Policies: 24:35–33:22
• Hillary Clinton’s Trump Remarks & Election Fallout: 33:31–38:00
• Elon Musk on AI and the End of Money: 39:30–41:43

Tone & Style

The tone is classic The Five: irreverent, bantering, and heavy with sarcasm and pop culture references. The episode features jabs at both progressives and establishment figures, with humor serving as both a defense mechanism and critique.

Summary Takeaway

The panel presents the Trump-Zoran meeting as a potential blueprint for finding common ground even among the most unlikely political rivals, but they remain skeptical about lasting change. The episode scrutinizes political theatrics—from Democratic senators’ warnings to Clinton’s public Trump frustrations—while sounding alarms over the consequences of leniency in the justice system. The discussion veers from the wildly speculative (AI’s impact on money) to grounded critiques of crime, politics, and media hysteria—delivering an entertaining, fast-paced rundown for listeners keen on America’s latest political fault lines.