Trump's dramatic shift of US foreign policy in Mideast

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Trump's dramatic shift of US foreign policy in Mideast

President Trump forges ahead with his decision to declare Jerusalem Israel's capital, despite objections from Arab, European and other world leaders; reaction and analysis on 'The Five.'

This is a rush transcript from "The Five," December 6, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

DANA PERINO, CO-HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Dana Perino along with Kimberly Guilfoyle, Juan Williams, Jesse Watters and Greg Gutfeld. It's 5 o'clock in New York City and this is "The Five."

Today, President Trump made history with a dramatic shift of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He forged ahead with his decision to declare Jerusalem, Israel's capital, despite objections from Arab, European, and other world leaders, and even the pope.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We cannot solve our problems by making the same failed assumptions and repeating the same failed strategies of the past. Old challenges demand new approaches. I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today, I am delivering.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERINO: President Trump stressed Israel as a sovereign nation with the right to determine its own capital. The president also ordered the state department to begin the process of moving our embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. In an attempt to ease concerns, Mr. Trump wanted Palestinians to know he still remains fully committed to helping broker a peace deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I also want to make one point very clear. This decision is not intended in any way to reflect a departure from our strong commitment to facilitate a lasting peace agreement. We want an agreement that is a great deal for the Israelis and a great deal for the Palestinians. I intend to do everything in my power to help forge such an agreement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PERINO: So definitely a historic day, Juan. I though I'll go with you first because you've covered this issue over many presidents. The position of the United States now firmly ensconced in the promise that had been made for many years that the United States would make this recognition and finally today it happened.

JUAN WILLIAMS, CO-HOST: Right. But, of course, part of that policy for the longest time, Dana, has been a two state solution. That we would in terms of final status, with regard to Jerusalem, have that as part of the negotiation, the ongoing negotiation. And the United States, even with people like Bill Clinton who were all about moving the capital said -- I'm sorry, the embassy, said very clearly that the reason they didn't do it was to preserve the United States as a fair and well-regarded arbiter on both sides by the Israelis and the Palestinians. So what we saw today was sort of a preemptive move. Now you have Jared Kushner supposedly out there trying to make a deal of some kind. We haven't seen much evidence of any progress, but what we have seen now is the president -- I think it's almost like a businessman he says, you know what, let's just shake it up. Let's put the Palestinians on notice. If you don't like the way things are going, well, then you better get back to the bargaining table.

PERINO: But he wasn't the only one, Kimberly, because the crown prince, now king, Salman of Saudi Arabia, called out -- the Palestinians and said - - you need to get on board with this. The president I think recognizes that in our capitals in these different countries they have to say what they're going to say for their domestic audiences. But this seems to be OK with the Saudi Arabians, and possible others for an anti-Iran alliance.

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, CO-HOST: Yes. I think so. And that's really, I think was, you know, behind this as well in large measure. But this is something that the president has been considering and contemplating for some time. There has been tremendous support from the Israeli community to do this, and for the president to make this move. And you've seen a very solid friendship and alliance between Netanyahu and President Trump that they work very well cooperatively. There's a lot of mutual respect there, which I think it's a healthy and good thing for the United States going forward. I take him at his word. I believe when he says that he's going to continue to try to broker a deal and work this out, but sometimes you need to broker a deal with a show of strength and a show of commitment. And like I said, he's been saying he's going to do it, and now in fact he has.

PERINO: But Jerusalem was always like that piece that was going to be the final bargaining chip, but after several decades with nothing ever happening, then maybe this is actually is a way to get there. And I didn't hear the president say he was against a two-state solution. So maybe this will actually push people to the table.

GREG GUTFELD, CO-HOST: I don't know. You want to see a picture of a Middle East expert?

(LAUGHTER)

GUILFOYLE: A blank slate?

GUTFELD: This place is an -- there you go. Thank you. Unsolvable Rubik's Cube. And we keep talking about this thing as if this is going to upset some kind of peace process in the Middle East. This peace process has been upset in the Middle East since I was a child. If you want a peace process, Palestinians, stop killing Jews. That's a start, right? Everytime.

PERINO: There state -- state of objective is the destruction of Israel.

GUTFELD: And all, all the Dems were for this. Obama was for Hillary. Bill is for Pelosi. Now when the evil orange Republican is for it, the media is going to say this is going to cause World War III, World War IV, World War V. It's no different than anything anybody else has said. The most important thing is the change of address cards, because I didn't do that when I moved, and I don't get any of my cat fancy issues.

PERINO: You're not going to get any Christmas cards.

GUTFELD: No. And either are they.

PERINO: That's true. Jesse, what is your take on the day news?

JESSE WATTERS, CO-HOST: Well, he got Schumer, and I think Romney, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Ted Cruz to all agree.

PERINO: Yup.

WATTERS: So I think that's probably a pretty good deal right now. It's very symbolic. We have a great relationship with Israel. Our only real partner in democracy in the Middle East, and he fulfilled a campaign promise so I think his supporters are going to be happy about that. I think our NATO allies and our Pacific partners have to look at this and say this is the president of the United States doing what he said he was going to do, and that has to make them feel more comfortable. And it is vintage Trump. He actually does what he says he's going to do, and then there's a bunch of hysteria. But the hysteria is not always as bad as it seems like it's going to be. I think he kind of relishes doing things that other presidents have said they're going to do or did or didn't do, whether it's the keystone pipeline, or cornering North Korea, or withdrawing from bad trade deals or treaties or something like that. I think he enjoys this. But you know what, Hamas says they're going to unleash hell and they're going to be a day of rage. If you're a terrorist, you're always raging as a terrorist. So I don't really see that much happening. United States and Israel will be prepared for that.

PERINO: Speaking of an ally, I want to get your take, Juan, on Turkey because they are -- Turkey is a part of NATO, but the president there came out very strongly against it and said there will be fire and fury, basically a take on what President Trump had said about North Korea. And then you had this, I will just read it for you, Abbas said these condemned and unacceptable measures are a deliberate undermining of all efforts exerted to achieve peace and represent a declaration of the United States withdrawal from undertaking the role it has played over the past decades in sponsoring the peace process. So it could end up that the Palestinians should have taken the deals that were on the table in the last couple of decades.

WILLIAMS: Well, I think that's what President Trump must be thinking. Again, you shake it up. But just to go back to what you were saying Turkey is our ally. You have a Turkish spokesman saying this is a redline for the Muslims around the world, specifically in the Middle East. And so, you know, when you think about what's different here, it's not that the thought isn't -- is anything radically shifting from what Democrats and Republicans have said in the past. The difference is that you do it as separate, unilateral action apart from any larger negotiation. And so people are saying, well, what does this signal, what does this mean?

This week, I was out at the Reagan library and they had a defense forum. And so you have people like Leon Panetta, Michelle Flournoy, Mike Pompeo from CIA, even former secretary of state Schultz, and what they're saying is, look, Iran and Russia are moving into a power vacuum in the Middle East. You know you have Russia now a major ally of Syria and others. And we hear lots of talk from President Trump about, you know, we're going to be more emphatic, we're going to be more involved, but there's nothing on the ground. There's no actual policy. And so he makes this move that I think does please some part of his evangelical base, maybe some of the orthodox Jewish community in this country which votes Republican. But in terms of Israel, I don't know that all Israelis are in support of this because what they want is more security for their country.

PERINO: But they were going to be attacked regardless. I do want to bring up one thing that might get Greg going. This is the pope. Pope Francis. He said I cannot remain silent about my deep concern for the situation that has developed in recent days, and at the same time I wish to make a heartfelt appeal to ensure that everyone is committed to respecting the status quo of the city in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations. But everybody spoke up before the president actually gave his speech, because he said he's OK with talking about the boundaries that they were discussed for East Jerusalem.

GUTFELD: I'm trying to maintain a level of politeness about the pope. You knew this was going to set me off. You did this on purpose. Look, this is an ongoing conflict over a religious claim over a city. So it's like three teams arguing over a home-field advantage, all right. I will play this sport so I don't have to listen to what the pope says. I don't care about what the pope says. I don't think he helps in this situation. I think he should just stay out of it. I can barely control myself when he talks about climate change, so I don't want to talk about the pope.

WATTERS: Could you say the pope should butt out of the Jerusalem.

GUTFELD: Yes, I did.

WATTERS: OK.

GUTFELD: I did.

WATTERS: I just want to clear that up.

(LAUGHTER)

GUTFELD: You did that on purpose.

GUILFOYLE: I disavow everything is happening here.

(CROSSTALK)

GUTFELD: The pope has an opinion, we have a right to respond to that opinion.

WILLIAMS: Yeah. But there's a lot of opinion out there. So it's Hamas, it's the pope.

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: The United Nations, the Turks, the Palestinians, the Germans, I mean, gosh.

PERINO: But don't you think it's possible, Kimberly, after the shock of this announcement.

GUILFOYLE: Sure.

PERINO: And people have time -- if things don't become fire and fury in the Middle East that, perhaps, other nations will follow our lead and, in fact, move their embassies to Jerusalem as well.

GUILFOYLE: Yes. I think there has to be a trailblazer, and President Trump has always been comfortable with doing that, you know, in his life, historically, and throughout his business, you know, career. I think, again, this was a bold and decisive, it's a historic moment. And, you know, Israel is a sovereign state and they have every right to be able to decide and choose where their capital is and where they want embassies to be. So I think the United States is respecting their sovereignty and their decision and their choice and honoring that.

WATTERS: Can I just address Juan. Juan said that there's a power vacuum in the Middle East and Iran is now in power. I think that's probably because President Obama gave them trillions of dollars and withdrew precipitously from Iraq. So I also think that this spurs the Mideast peace process, whatever that means, Greg, because everything they did before by putting this on the table, the Jerusalem issue with everything else in the negotiation hadn't worked. So I think what the president is doing is say let's try something different, aka, in your words, shake it up. And this makes everybody reengage, makes both state come back to the table with a little more urgency. And I think that's good.

PERINO: And I think they're sequencing, right?

WATTERS: Yeah.

PERINO: So they make this announcement. And then today, somebody on background from the White House said that they expect within the next 12 to 14 months to have of a more fleshed out plan. So then you've actually have some time for it to take hold.

WILLIAMS: So I think then -- you have to think of it in terms of -- Jesse said symbolic. And I think while Kimberly said this is a historic day. I think of it as symbolic and a political gesture because we're not actually moving the embassy anytime soon. He's going to sign another waiver that says the embassy will remain in Tel Aviv, and then say.

WATTERS: Every six months.

WILLIAMS: Every six months you keep doing it. He said -- or apparently I think this is what the president's aide said today according to the news.

PERINO: That it will take some time.

WILLIAMS: That it will take years before they can even think about it, Jesse, because they've got to build it, they've got to find a contractor, land.

GUILFOYLE: But it's happening like the wall.

(CROSSTALK)

PERINO: All right. Time's person of the year, coming up. A big announcement from embattled senator Al Franken. I think they just changed the scene on me. We'll have the news about Al Franken, stay tune, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WILLIAMS: Today, Time Magazine named the silence breakers its person of the year as we're seeing more fallout from the massive movement today. Six women filed a class action lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein and his former companies. They say they're representing hundreds who have been harassed or assaulted by the disgraced movie mogul. Meanwhile, Al Franken do to make a big announcement tomorrow following growing calls within his own party for him to resign. That comes -- that call includes party leader Chuck Schumer who just released a statement calling for Franken to, quote, step down immediately. What do you make of this, Greg?

GUTFELD: Well, Franken has got another accusation from a woman who was at his radio show. This happened today. He lunged at her and tried to kiss her. He's denying that. But I know two people that he's personally done this too. Two people that I have known for a while. So the idea that this person that is accusing him is creating this incident with easily discernible details. She was at his radio show. She was working for a congressperson, and she was gathering her stuff and he lunged at her. And he looks at this as some kind of offensive comedic gesture that's his kind of tradition.

WATTERS: That his shtick.

GUTFELD: That's his shtick, I guess. But the thing is I think he has no idea how many times he's done this. And I think tomorrow is his last day. And I think one of the strategies here is that if he's gone and Moore is elected, then the Democrats can say that only the Republicans have sex pests. That the Democrats purge and the Republicans protect. I think that's going to be their strategy. It's not a dumb one.

WILLIAMS: Jesse, you know, the big news today is to get seven -- I believe now more than seven Democrats. So it started with seven Democratic women, including Patty Murray who was kind of a senior leader among women and Democrats on Capitol Hill, calling for Franken to resign. This is a big shift from what we've seen in the last week. What do you make of it?

WATTERS: Yeah. It was about time. I think the ladies had heard enough. They probably had enough when they saw the picture of him doing that. But the latest allegation where he goes in for the kiss, but the worst part was when she denied him. He said, I'm an entertainer. I'm entitled to do this. And that I think that sums this thing up perfectly because power is so intoxicating. And when you continue to get away with it without any consequences, you're emboldened. And when people surrounding you allow you to do it, it emboldens you even more. So that, with the me-too movement, I think -- you know, we were kind of joking around in the green room the other day about, you know, when are we going to see a backlash to this? Because people are now talking about this and, you know, we were talking about -- when women sometimes make a joke about a man, are they going to be held to the same standard men are held to? Are we now going to see next possibly a woman being accused of sexually harassing a guy?

GUTFELD: There is one -- a woman from The Voice? I read too much gossip.

WATTERS: I think this whole thing is going to continue to swirl around, and who knows where it could go. But I think everyone is awake to it right now and that's a good thing. And as long as you're conscientious of what you're doing and what you're doing is wrong, I think that there's going to be a lot of progress.

WILLIAMS: So Kimberly, so here's the thing that strikes me. None of these allegations -- and I've got to check out what Greg was talking about in terms of the most recent one, took place when Franken was a politician, elected official.

GUTFELD: Same with this one, he wasn't.

WILLIAMS: OK. So this was before he was elected to office. And I heard from Democrats, well, this is different than things that have happened with people who are in office, or who like Conyers was using his office funds to pay off a woman.

GUILFOYLE: To pay off, yeah.

WILLIAMS: What do you think is the logic? Why all of a sudden all did these Democratic women rush on Franken?

GUILFOYLE: You know, because I think there really is no tolerance for this kind of behavior. And if he is a public figure and representing the people, and this is somebody -- remember, Dana, we're talking about, was considering probably a run for president.

PERINO: There goes my prediction.

GUILFOYLE: I know. He really.

GUTFELD: Not really.

GUILFOYLE: No. Anyway. So I think that they want to make a strong stand. Kamala Harris is coming out saying, you know, this conduct and behavior cannot be condoned and or abided by. So to me, it's not a surprise, especially given the cover of Time, the mood, the focus on these issues right now. It's very and -- you know, I guess it's resonating in terms of the public and you've seen it across all different professions. So I think that this is something that wasn't surprising, especially with a new accuser. And I think when you see Schumer as well calling for it, so let's see what happens. Tomorrow he's making an announcement.

WILLIAMS: What do you think of the Time selection, Dana? Me too, that that hashtag the person of the year.

PERINO: Well, I think -- they had a lot of good options for the possibilities because it was such a year of consequence. The 2017, easily President Trump could have been the one. I think that the king, Salman, of Saudi Arabia, he won the poll. He knows how many blocks voted. But I think this movement, obviously, is a big societal changing event, so I think that made sense. I think for Franken, the only way to make this end is if he resigns, for himself, for him and his family. I mean, there might be more accusers that come out, but he's putting his family through a lot. And now, Minnesota, the voters deserve better. So if he's going to resign, he might not wait until tomorrow. With Chuck Schumer coming out saying he wants it immediately might not wait till tomorrow.

WILLIAMS: I don't see how he cannot resign.

PERINO: The other thing I would just mention. We lead with also talking about Harvey Weinstein. That New York Times piece today, by line, five different reporters. If you haven't read it, you should, or listen to the daily podcast of the New York Times. What he was making people who worked for him to in order to have -- get this done, and they called it the complicity machine. It is worth reading. It's so chilling that someone would even think of that. And then, people who brought it up to H.R., they got fired. So I think that that problem is going to continue in the entertainment industry.

WILLIAMS: One quick question then, apparently a woman is trying to sue President Trump and bring out all of these issues into court. Will that go anywhere?

PERINO: I don't know. If she's granted standing anywhere I suppose.

GUTFELD: I think that Time -- there could have been another winner or an honorable mention for the person or thing of the year. What had a continuous effect over the year? Like what object had continuous.

PERINO: Twitter?

GUTFELD: What?

PERINO: Twitter.

GUTFELD: Trump's tweets. Like Trump's tweet every single day had an impact on people. That would have been an interesting honorable mention or maybe a share? I don't know.

GUILFOYLE: Is that a person?

WILLIAMS: No, but that's Greg's genius. That was an interesting -- it's not a person.

(CROSSTALK)

GUTFELD: But this was a hashtag movement on twitter, right?

WILLIAMS: Yeah, yeah. But I think it gained momentum after Weinstein.

GUILFOYLE: President Trump said on the cover with his twitter handle.

WILLIAMS: Oh, my gosh. Here we go. Did the FBI give special treatment to Hillary Clinton, her email investigation? Lawmakers, they want answers. Now you'll hear here on The Five, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WATTERS: People who hate President Trump in the FBI were assigned to investigate him, while Hillary Clinton was protected time and time again by sympathizers. GOP lawmakers demanding answers, an investigation into that today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNINDENTIFIED MALE: I'm proud to be joined by my fellow conservatives in the House to call for an investigation into the FBI's procedures that allowed Hillary Clinton to receive special treatment. We'll also investigate the unprecedented bias against President Trump that exists when we allow people who hate the president to participate in the investigations against him.

UNINDENTIFIED MALE: It is clear that Hillary Clinton has received break after break after break from the FBI.

UNINDENTIFIED MALE: If Mueller was doing such a great job on investigating the Russian collusion, why could he have not found the conflict of interest within their own agency?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATTERS: And this just in to Fox, we just learned that not only was FBI agent Peter Strzok involved in the interview with Hillary Clinton. He was also on the team that looked into the thousands of emails which ended up on Huma Abedin and Anthony Weiner's laptop. Greg, has this Mueller investigation been completely compromised beyond repair?

GUTFELD: It seems that Hillary got more breaks than a pool hall.

(LAUGHTER)

GUTFELD: We'll be right back. I mean, if you want collusion.

GUILFOYLE: Don't retire on that one.

(LAUGHTER)

GUILFOYLE: You've had better.

GUTFELD: But Hillary really -- she treated the FBI the way Bill treated interns. It was a hot tub of special treatment. This is the collusion. This is the collusion. And it's funny because the media has been all about collusions with the Russians and that's dwindling. For Christmas they expected a pony, and now all they're going to get is a lump of coal, which is fitting. Now we've revitalize the coal industry.

PERINO: Very nice. I like how you tied that all together.

WATTERS: Coal is back.

GUTFELD: Coal is back.

WATTERS: Dana, as the most fair and balanced person on this table, excluding myself, do you think...

GUILFOYLE: Opposite day?

WATTERS: ... Mueller's and his team's integrity has now clouded the issue so much, where whatever he does next, fair-minded people are going to say and have doubts about the motivations?

PERINO: Fair-minded people?

WATTERS: Yes.

PERINO: We're talking about fair-minded people?

WATTERS: Yes. It's fair -- we're going to go to you first, my fair-minded correspondent.

PERINO: I don't think so at this point.

WATTERS: Not yet.

PERINO: I think part of it is that legal issues, legal investigations are usually super locked down and quiet, and nobody talks. And so Mueller hasn't given an interview. He hasn't talked to anybody. So basically, there's all these allegations swirling around, and they can't really defend themselves. Though I think one of the defenses that some people have pointed out is that when he found out about Strzok and his text messages, he was fired from the team.

So he's probably irritated that his investigation has been tainted by somebody who did something before he even got there.

But then I also think there's a question of, can you have personal opinions and still do a professional job in your career? So you said I'm the most fair and balanced person. So like, if we were talking about a pro-life issue, could I be fair and balanced, even though I have a personal point of view? I would like to try to be, but we all have these certain things that we might have texted to somebody. Like if I said to my husband how I felt about an issue, does that then become part of an investigation? I'm not sure.

Here's the other thing, though. Chris Wray of the FBI, he's the new FBI director. He testifies tomorrow. So we might get more clarity on what happened if he happens to know.

But also, just remember, before he left, Comey said that the FBI is investigating ISIS in all 50 states. So having actually -- it's so irritating to me that people did this funny business that had a private email server, that Hillary Clinton did that. That Huma Abedin and Anthony Weiner have to be investigated. Like, we have serious problems, and we have the -- the FBI needs to be focused on those and not necessarily on people's shenanigans on texts.

WATTERS: OK, well, let me ask you, to Dana's point, Juan, if I am a huge Trump supporter, Trump donor...

GUTFELD: If?

WATTERS: ... would it be fair for me, as an FBI agent, to investigate Hillary Clinton? Could I put it aside?

WILLIAMS: I hope you could if you were hired.

WATTERS: And you think that I could, and you think that would be fair?

PERINO: I think he could.

WILLIAMS: I think you could. But I don't know...

WATTERS: Thank you.

WILLIAMS: Let me just say...

GUILFOYLE: That came from FMC. Fair-minded correspondent.

WILLIAMS: ... these FBI agents -- FBI agents, and especially Strzok, who's greatly respected in the FBI community. Let me just tell you: they have to prove themselves. It's not as if they got there on the basis of their political affiliation or they like or don't like this candidate.

This is a situation where, I think if you want to impugn people on the basis that they were texting or tweeting -- we discussed this yesterday -- during the presidential debate and telling their -- he was involved with a woman. He was telling the woman when he thinks. I don't see how that rules out this guy as a good investigator. And hopefully, Chris Wray, the FBI director, will make that claim.

But the larger point to me is we have real news here about the Deutsche Bank subpoena, right, that you said didn't happen. It's on the front page of The Wall Street Journal today.

WATTERS: Wait. Bloomberg News just retracted...

WILLIAMS: No.

WATTERS: ... the report that said that Trump's financial records were subpoenaed.

WILLIAMS: No, no, no. It's Trump's...

WATTERS: It was only records that were associated with Trump's associates.

WILLIAMS: Oh, now you're admitting -- I see. So in other words, this is a legitimate...

WATTERS: Wait, wait. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with John Roberts.

PERINO: How did you let him do that?

WILLIAMS: This is a legitimate part of the investigation. They are looking into the financial transactions involving Trump and his associates.

WATTERS: No, not Trump.

WILLIAMS: With the Deutsche Bank.

WATTERS: Not Trump.

WILLIAMS: I see, yes.

WATTERS: Just his associates.

WILLIAMS: Let me say, I -- I don't understand why people are so quick to fall for this.

GUILFOYLE: Quickly.

WILLIAMS: You see all these congressmen standing there, all Freedom Caucus guys, the far-right wing of the Republican Party, essentially acting like Devin Nunes' stooges for Donald Trump.

GUILFOYLE: Oh, my gosh.

WILLIAMS: So people don't pay attention to the real news, which is the Russia investigation.

GUILFOYLE: Juan Williams making friends left and not right, not right. Yes, OK.

WATTERS: All right.

GUILFOYLE: That was a doozy.

WATTERS: Final thoughts, Kimberly.

GUILFOYLE: OK. So can I say this on behalf of the phenomenal men and women in the FBI, many of which that I know and have worked with over the years and personally know? That they are fantastic. They work really hard. They take the office and the job that they do very seriously to protect this country.

It's always a good thing when you have transparency and illumination on issues like this to be able to see. I think it would only make the FBI stronger and better. And sometimes you need some shake up at the top to be able to rework the whole dynamic of an organization. And that's what I think we're going to see here.

I do call into question, as a former prosecutor, then, the you know, credibility of some aspects of this investigation. I certainly want to hear more. Because we would hope, you know, that they uphold the oath to be fair and to just be fair arbiters of the facts and let the investigation take them where it's supposed to go, absent and bereft of any kind of, you know, ideological preference.

WATTERS: OK. President Obama taking some new swipes at President Trump. Greg takes him on next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GUTFELD: Power trip.

Last Saturday Barack Obama was in Paris, what I like to call the poor man's Cleveland, where he knocked Donald Trump for pulling out of the climate deal. Hmm, I wonder if he said he grants that, at the moment, we have a temporary absence of American leadership in the issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: I grant you that, at the moment, we have a temporary absence of American leadership on the issue.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUTFELD: He's so predictable. But so is the French audience, who laughed. They also find mimes funny.

The fact is, making a decision that bugs the French is not bad leadership. Actually, it's the opposite. Knowing you'll come off as the bad guy among our more sophisticated European peers and you still do it anyway, that's cool. And let's face it, how many times have we been right versus the French?

Trump expressed real leadership here. Remember, even environmentalists admit that the accord sucks. It takes $100 trillion -- funds that could wipe out global poverty, hunger and disease three times over -- to maybe affect a fraction of a degree over a century. It's murderous, callous virtue signaling.

Worse, as Obama jokes, terrorist plot to kill England's prime minister. Terror, remember where there was an absence of leadership on that? That's the real lesson of 2016: a priority adjustment regarding global threats. Something France could use, too. That country has suffered from so many deadly terror attacks and yet here they chuckle with a guy who, after one attack, sent them James Taylor.

But I guess in Obama's mind, ISIS was always JV and coal was always varsity.

So you know, Dana, it strikes me that President Obama is kind of like one of those traveling comedians. When he shows up at a place, he finds out where he's from, and he starts saying nice things about Cleveland or whatever. He's like this. He shows up, and he knows he can get a joke.

PERINO: "I love the Browns."

GUTFELD: Yes. But he makes a joke about Trump, because he knows he's going to get a laugh.

PERINO: He tries to sort of skirt so that he doesn't...

GUTFELD: Yes.

PERINO: ... he doesn't say President Trump's name...

GUTFELD: Yes.

PERINO: ... so that he wouldn't be that -- you know, that outrage. I guess that there's probably other ways that he could've done it.

But I do agree that this is pretty bold to do. And to pull out of the Paris Accords. And it was similar, like when President Bush pulled out of the Kyoto Protocol, he paid the price for that in diplomacy...

GUTFELD: Yes.

PERINO: ... every step of the way, because the European capitals thought that we were terrible. And...

GUTFELD: We're stupid and ignorant.

PERINO: The third-world nations wanted more from the president on that. And so I think that President Trump has got us back to the place where now, even in pop culture television, when they're talking about climate change, they have to admit that we have reduced our carbon footprint. And now the refrain is "but we still have to do more."

GUTFELD: Jesse, you know what kills me, is that there's this perception that if you're against the Paris Accords, somehow you are less knowledgeable of the accords when, in fact, the people who are for the Paris Accords are the ones most ignorant, because they don't know how much it's going to cost and what it's going to actually affect, compared to what you can do with the money elsewhere.

WATTERS: Are you calling Juan ignorant? That's not nice.

GUTFELD: That was what you call a subtweet. It was a subtweet. I was talking about Juan without saying it to Juan.

GUILFOYLE: Those are never a good idea.

WATTERS: The variables, scuttle the variables (ph).

Listen, it's easy to fight climate change, because climate change doesn't fight back. The absence of American leadership was when Obama was leading from behind. He didn't lead on ISIS. Remember, he said they didn't have a strategy. He didn't lead on North Korea. He kicked the can down the road. Didn't lead on Syria. Remember, Putin had to come in and have him save face.

And he definitely didn't lead on Russian interference in our election. He sat by and said nothing and only said something after the election. Obama has no credibility here.

GUTFELD: You know, Juan, after seeing this performance, do you agree with me that Obama should be pre-impeached? Like, we should go back and impeach him.

WATTERS: Post-impeached.

GUTFELD: Post-impeached.

WILLIAMS: Let me just say, you're not as bad as some people on FOX. Because somebody said...

GUILFOYLE: As some people.

WILLIAMS: Yes, some people. Somebody said he should be arrested. They should bring him back and arrest him.

GUTFELD: That was me. That was me in my Kilmeade mask.

WILLIAMS: I thought that was Dobbs, I think. But my point...

GUILFOYLE: He has that mask, too.

WILLIAMS: He does?

WATTERS: He loves to wear it as a guest.

GUTFELD: It's mask night at Dobbs.

GUILFOYLE: They're, like, twinning. They've sort of started to resemble each other.

WILLIAMS: I've got you. But anyway it seems to me that, in fact, while he was over there, he was not only talking, you know, with the French but saying to all the business and the activists in Paris that, guess what? This deal has held together despite the United States pulling out. And what does that say? The rest of the world is saying, "Yes, we understand."

GUTFELD: But we're always right. They're wrong.

WILLIAMS: Oh, I see.

GUTFELD: When has the world been right and we've been wrong?

WILLIAMS: Oh, gosh.

GUTFELD: Come on. Come on. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Not a single example. I'm pointing at a watch, and I don't have one on.

WILLIAMS: But by the way -- by the way, I think that al Qaeda and its resurgence...

GUTFELD: Yes.

WILLIAMS: ... is a real current threat.

GUTFELD: I agree. I agree.

WILLIAMS: And you guys go on and on. Hey...

GUTFELD: What do you mean?

GUILFOYLE: Oh, my gosh.

GUTFELD: On and on about terror.

WILLIAMS: No, no, no. You need to be specific instead of -- because when you're speaking in general terms, you don't really make sense.

GUILFOYLE: Oh, that's the problem.

GUTFELD: I've only been right on this for I don't know how long.

WILLIAMS: Oh, yes.

GUTFELD: Go ahead, Kimberly.

GUILFOYLE: Let's talk about the reality of the situation with job numbers. Oh, by the way, the president's approval numbers up, ISIS getting crushed. Don't worry, Juan, he's getting to al Qaeda, too. So when you have to add that to the list...

WILLIAMS: I hope so.

GUILFOYLE: ... of Jesse's delighted fascination with accomplishments.

WILLIAMS: Where'd you get his approval numbers are up?

GUILFOYLE: Yes, they are.

WATTERS: They're out of the 20s, into the 30s.

WILLIAMS: OK. You know what? You're winning. The winning is just too much these days.

GUILFOYLE: Juan.

WATTERS: Fake polls, Juan.

WILLIAMS: Fake polls.

GUILFOYLE: Northbound.

WILLIAMS: OK.

GUTFELD: Don't forget the travel ban.

GUILFOYLE: Travel ban.

GUTFELD: So many things are happening. So many things are happening that you can't keep up, Juan.

WILLIAMS: I know. Too much winning. That's right.

GUTFELD: All right. I guess I should move on now.

Kimberly has been waiting all show to break out some food. I hope it's good.

GUILFOYLE: We are going to do that?

GUTFELD: At the table. I'm not reading this next part.

GUILFOYLE: Sprinkled with love.

GUTFELD: Don't miss it, next.

GUILFOYLE: Don't miss it, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GUILFOYLE: it is time for "Kimberly's Food Court," but wait. There's more. Because my Food Court today meets -- roll it...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRAPHIC: Kimberly's Dating Tips

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUILFOYLE: "Kimberly's" -- yes -- "Dating Tips." You know it.

WATTERS: Oh, yes.

GUILFOYLE: All right. Jesse loves it. You all know the fastest way to my heart is through my stomach, indeed. And apparently, I'm not alone, because a new study conducted by a dating website has found that love seekers who mention food in their dating profile have boosted their odds of making a match by as much as 144 percent.

PERINO: Wow.

GUILFOYLE: But not just any food. Slow it down, OK? Guacamole, chocolate and sushi are among some of the most alluring edibles to mention for those looking for the one.

Boy, did I sell that segment?

PERINO: You did.

GUILFOYLE: OK, Jesse, do you think this makes sense?

WATTERS: Yes. It does, because women like guac. Here's why. It gives them an excuse to eat chips, because then they put the guac on the chip, and they feel like it's a healthy snack.

GUILFOYLE: You know that's true, right?

WATTERS: Same thing with sushi. They consider that, like, low-calorie seafood, but then when you load it up with spicy wasabi mayonnaise mayonnaise, maybe it doesn't accomplish it. And then who can't like chocolate? Obviously, that's the dessert.

GUILFOYLE: All right, but -- all right, so that's awesome. But do you think it makes men attracted to women more?

WATTERS: Yes. Because when men say, you know, something about sushi, it says that they can afford sushi and that they might take you out to a sushi dinner instead of taking you out to, like, McDonald's or the Applebee's.

GUILFOYLE: I like McDonald's, though.

WATTERS: Well, you're different, Kimberly. You have great taste in fast food.

GUILFOYLE: Thank you so much. So do you, because we've matched, like 13- year-olds. Or something like that.

WATTERS: We have a terrible diet.

GUILFOYLE: Well, I mean, looks good, right?

WATTERS: Yes.

GUILFOYLE: So, all right, Dana. What do you think?

PERINO: Well, I noticed that quinoa and kale are not on the list of things.

GUILFOYLE: Absolutely not.

PERINO: I've never written a dating profile. I wouldn't know what to say, but I guess I would -- I would throw a Hershey kiss on there.

GUILFOYLE: Yes, you like the kisses, I like that.

Greg, what do you think? You're a big researcher?

GUTFELD: I guess you'd call these dating apps.

GUILFOYLE: Oh, my God. That was terrifying.

GUTFELD: They need a dating app for people who don't like to date. So basically, it's like "Hi, I'm Greg. Can I come over to watch TV?" Then you move in, you get married, you get fat. Just skip all the dating. Dating is overrated. It's terrible. Dating is terrible.

GUILFOYLE: Oh, my God. You terrified me. You just blew out my earpiece.

OK. Juan, you love food, too. You're a foodie. I think this end of the table is definitely the foodies.

WILLIAMS: Well, you know, I don't see how you lose with this. Because what do you do if you go on a date? Usually, you go out to dinner, right?

GUILFOYLE: Right.

WILLIAMS: You say, "Let's go eat something." So the whole thing is, it's very interesting when you're on a date. Because it's first date. You know, who's going to pay? And I think women...

GUTFELD: That's actually a question?

PERINO: Obviously?

WATTERS: Who's going to pay? The woman obviously.

WILLIAMS: Well, you go out with a certain type of woman. But...

WATTERS: What type would that be, Juan?

WILLIAMS: But I've got to say, I just think this is a winner, Kimberly. What a combination...

GUILFOYLE: Yes. Pasta, salad, cheesecake and burgers.

WILLIAMS: And chocolate cake, and cheese and pasta. "Kimberly's Food Court" combined with "Kimberly's Dating Tips."

GUILFOYLE: I know we have to go, but this is important. We're trying to help people.

PERINO: No. 4 says "salad."

GUILFOYLE: The bottom line is, I think men love it when a woman eats and has a good appetite and appreciates the food and doesn't, like, pick and act weird. Just be comfortable with yourself and own it. Love it, and love will find you. All right. "One More Thing" is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PERINO: It's time now for "One More Thing." I had to match Jesse on a little puppy video, so check this out.

You ever riding in the car with your dog and you're worried about needing a seat belt, because you think if there's an accident, what will happen? So this company, named the Rocketeer Pack. It's actually from ZuGo Pets, so that's what it's called. But so it's only for dogs that are 25 pounds or less. Jasper would not fit. But can you imagine? That would not work. I don't think that this is going to work. Those dogs look kind of happy, but I don't know. What do you think? Call us and let us know. It's 145 bucks.

GUILFOYLE: Is that normal? I mean...

PERINO: Kimberly, you might need this for -- for your car when you're going to ride around with the pups.

GUILFOYLE: With the Super Mario Brothers?

PERINO: Yes.

GUILFOYLE: Yes, I think it's pretty interesting.

PERINO: Juan, you're next.

WILLIAMS: Well, Santa Claus is coming to town. The other day, I showed you a picture of my family with Santa at the mall. You'll remember that. But it doesn't compare to the visit that Santa made to comfort children who have lost everything in California's wildfires.

PERINO: Aww.

WILLIAMS: At the Ventura County Fairgrounds fire shelter, children are being treated to a visit with a lovable Santa. Many of the children, having lost so much, had a long list of gift requests. But to me the most touching was one little boy. He wanted nothing more from Santa than a hug.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people affected, dealing with fire and smoke this holiday season.

PERINO: Indeed, in their house. It's happening as we speak.

Greg, you're next.

GUTFELD: All right. I had a week off on my podcast, but I've got a new one up tonight. Christina Hoff Sommers, amazing author and speaker, is going to be on tonight. We're going to talk about perv-opocalypse, as I like to call it. All -- the rise of sexual harassment. And we're going to talk about campus speech. We're also going to talk about this -- the unusual case of Sam Seder, who's lost a contract at MSNBC over an ironic tweet. And MSNBC just acted like complete jackasses and let the guy go over over a tweet that was ironic and not sincere. We talk about that, as well. They should actually give him his job back. That's it.

PERINO: Or somebody else should hire him.

GUILFOYLE: OK.

PERINO: Jesse.

WATTERS: All right. I'll see Juan's Santa video and I'll raise you one.

WILLIAMS: OK.

WATTERS: Skydiving Santa delivering toys to some boys and girls in Tampa. Roll it.

PERINO: That's pretty cool.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SANTA SKYDIVING AND TAKING HARD LANDING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATTERS: OK, well, it didn't go so well for Santa Claus. He had a crash landing. That was a curveball. Girard Krokus broke his leg.

GUILFOYLE: Oh, my God!

WATTERS: He's in the hospital. I mean Santa broke his leg. And listen...

GUILFOYLE: This is really...

WATTERS: Being Santa is dangerous; you need your reindeer.

GUILFOYLE: Oh, my gosh, that was troubling.

PERINO: Kimberly, help us.

GUILFOYLE: All right. No happy ending there. I disapprove.

OK. So this is a very sweet story. Eighty-one-year-old Rosalind Guttman was playing online this game called Words with Friends. You may know it. And she was randomly paired up with another player who was 22 years old, an aspiring rapper named Spencer Sleyon. So she used the word phat, "P-H-A- T," and -- which is slang for excellent, Greg.

GUTFELD: I had no idea.

GUILFOYLE: And Spencer was floored that she knew the word. They started messaging each other. An amazing friendship formed. And after playing hundreds of games together online, he decided to surprise her and fly down to Florida to meet her and give her a big hug in person.

PERINO: So cute.

GUILFOYLE: And they continue to play this game together, Words with Friends and now are also Facebook friends, indeed.

PERINO: That's so nice.

GUILFOYLE: Isn't this the cutest?

GUTFELD: What if they got engaged and got married?

GUILFOYLE: No. I don't have weirdo "One More Things" like this guy.

PERINO: You've got to...

(CROSSTALK)

PERINO: Set your DVRs. Never miss an episode of "The Five." "Special Report" up next with Bret Baier.

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