Fox News host Greg Gutfeld sparked controversy during Monday’s episode of “The Five” when he defended President Donald Trump against accusations of narcissism and obsession with polling data, a claim that quickly drew scrutiny given the president’s well-documented social media activity and frequent references to his approval ratings.
The conservative commentator, who hosts both the late-night program “Gutfeld!” and serves as a co-host on the network’s flagship afternoon roundtable, made the eyebrow-raising assertion while discussing the “No Kings” anti-Trump protests that swept across the nation over the weekend.
During the heated panel discussion, Gutfeld and his fellow co-hosts dissected the nationwide demonstrations that challenged President Trump’s leadership style. The protests, which organizers framed as a defense of democratic principles, drew thousands of participants in multiple cities.
“This is ‘group therapy designed as public theater,'” Gutfeld said, dismissing the protests as politically motivated theater rather than legitimate civic expression.
The irony of Gutfeld’s defense was not lost on critics, who pointed to President Trump’s extensive history of referencing poll numbers in speeches, interviews, and social media posts. Throughout his political career, Trump has frequently touted favorable polling data while dismissing unfavorable numbers as “fake” or manipulated.
The Monday broadcast of “The Five” covered multiple hot-button topics beyond the protests, including ongoing discussions about potential talks between the United States and Iran, President Trump’s trip to Georgia in February 2026 which promoted his administration’s affordability messaging, and a controversy surrounding Pennsylvania House Democrats who withdrew consideration of a Women’s Month resolution.
Panelist Kat Timpf weighed in on the Pennsylvania legislative dispute, which erupted after a Republican lawmaker filed an amendment to include a definition of “woman” in the resolution. “As a taxpayer, I don’t want to see my government spending time on this,” Timpf said, expressing frustration with what she characterized as partisan gridlock over symbolic legislation.
Later that evening, Gutfeld doubled down on his criticism of the anti-Trump demonstrations during his eponymous late-night show. The “Gutfeld!” panel spent more than 17 minutes dissecting what they described as misguided protests targeting the president’s leadership approach.
The program, which Newsweek has dubbed “The King of Late Night,” consistently outperforms traditional broadcast late-night shows hosted by Stephen Colbert on CBS, Jimmy Kimmel on ABC, and Jimmy Fallon on NBC in both total viewership and the coveted 25-54 demographic. This ratings success has made Gutfeld one of Fox News’s most valuable on-air personalities.
Gutfeld joined Fox News in 2007 as a contributor before launching the late-night program “Red Eye,” which aired from 2007 to 2015. He later hosted “The Greg Gutfeld Show” from 2015 to 2021 before transitioning to his current primetime slot. “The Five,” which he co-hosts weekday afternoons at 5 p.m. ET, made television history as the first non-primetime program to rank as the number one show in both total viewers and the 25-54 demographic.
Before his television career, Gutfeld served as editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine, Stuff magazine, and Maxim magazine in the United Kingdom. A University of California, Berkeley graduate with a degree in English, he has authored six New York Times bestselling books and been described by The Weekly Standard as “the most dangerous man on television.”
The protests that triggered Monday’s discussion represent the latest flashpoint in ongoing tensions between Trump supporters and critics. Demonstrators carried signs reading “No Kings” and chanted slogans challenging what they characterized as authoritarian tendencies in the current administration.
President Trump has not directly responded to Gutfeld’s defense or the weekend protests, though he continues to maintain an active presence on social media and at public events. His Georgia trip, mentioned during “The Five” broadcast, formed part of a broader administration effort to address voter concerns about inflation and the cost of living ahead of the midterm election cycle.
The exchange highlights the ongoing debate about presidential temperament and leadership style that has defined American politics since Trump first entered the political arena. While supporters praise his willingness to challenge conventional political norms, critics argue his focus on personal validation undermines effective governance.
