Greg Gutfeld read a long list of Trump accomplishments on air, then dared Jessica Tarlov to dismiss them.
The confrontation played out on the September 9th episode of Fox News’ “The Five.” The panel was debating whether Republicans should make Trump’s record the centerpiece of their congressional campaign strategy. Gutfeld opened by saying he had spent part of his morning cataloging what the Trump administration had accomplished.
His list was long. Gutfeld cited the 2017 tax cuts being locked in, no taxes on tips and overtime, the launch of Trump Accounts, and a dramatic drop in border crossings. He also credited the administration with ending catch and release, funding the border wall, and driving large-scale self-deportations. The list kept going, covering cuts in fentanyl and overdose deaths, a lower homicide rate, and strikes on drug boats and traffickers.
Special offer for our readers:
Put Interest On Ice into 2027
As originally reported, Gutfeld then moved into foreign policy and defense, pointing to Trump’s actions against Iran’s nuclear program, a push for NATO members to commit five percent of their GDP to defense, the launch of the MAHA agenda, and the removal of illegal aliens from SNAP benefits.
“My point is this, Jessica. He really hasn’t done enough, has he?” Gutfeld said, his tone unmistakably sarcastic. He added that an opposition party would normally use such a moment to present voters with an alternative, but argued Democrats had not done that.
Tarlov’s response was not a rebuttal on the merits. Are you in the running for the new press secretary?” she asked. Gutfeld rejected that immediately. “No, I’m just presenting the facts. I’m sorry if you need to deflect with a cheap shot like that,” he said.
When Tarlov insisted she was not deflecting, Gutfeld pressed further. You don’t deny all those things I just said?” Tarlov conceded that the 2017 tax cuts had passed but pivoted to what she said voters actually cared about. Gas prices and inflation, she argued, were the real concerns for ordinary Americans.
Gutfeld took that as a win. “That’s my point. That’s why I brought it up. I think I painted you into a corner,” he told her.
Tarlov then cited an unnamed Republican lobbyist quoted by Politico, who reportedly said Democrats were “salivating” and that “no one is motivated to vote.” Gutfeld’s response was dry. “Oh, shoot! Thank God. Oh, sorry.”
The exchange captured a recurring tension on “The Five,” where Tarlov frequently squares off against her conservative co-hosts. In this round, Gutfeld maneuvered her into confirming at least part of his argument before she could change the subject.
