Jessica Tarlov challenges 'The Five' co-hosts to explain Trump’s confusing economic speech

Jessica Tarlov criticized Donald Trump's incoherent response when asked whether he would prioritize legislation to make childcare more affordable
Jessica Tarlov challenged her Fox News co-hosts on Thursday to make sense of Donald Trump's confusing economic speech (Fox News, Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Jessica Tarlov challenged her Fox News co-hosts on Thursday to make sense of Donald Trump's confusing economic speech (Fox News, Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Jessica Tarlov put her Fox News co-hosts on the spot on Thursday, challenging them to make sense of Donald Trump's baffling economic speech.

The former president's remarks at the Economic Club of New York left many scratching their heads, particularly his comments on childcare and economic policy.

Donald Trump’s rambling response on childcare

During the event, Trump was asked whether he would prioritize legislation to make childcare more affordable. His response, however, was far from clear.

Trump said, “Well, I would do that, and we’re sitting down — you know, I was, somebody — we had Senator Marco Rubio, and my daughter Ivanka was so impactful on that issue. It’s a very important issue. But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I’m talking about, that — because the childcare is childcare — there’s something, you have to have it in this country.”

Former President Donald Trump made several verbal gaffes during the Philadelphia MAGA rally (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Donald Trump’s response on childcare was unclear, with a rambling explanation about the importance of the issue and vague references to Marco Rubio and Ivanka Trump (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Trump continued, “You have to have it. But when you talk about those numbers compared to the kind of numbers that I’m talking about by taxing foreign nations at levels that they’re not used to — but they’ll get used to it very quickly — and it’s not going to stop them from doing business with us; but they’ll have a very substantial tax when they send product into our country. Those numbers are so much bigger than any numbers that we’re talking about, including childcare, that it’s going to take care.”

He elaborated further, “— we’re going to have, I look forward to having no deficits within a fairly short period of time, coupled with the reductions that I told you about on waste and fraud and all of the other things that are going on in our country because I have to stay with childcare. I want to stay with childcare. But those numbers are small relative to the kind of economic numbers that I’m talking about — including growth — but growth also headed up by what the plan is that I just told you about. We’re going to be taking in trillions of dollars.”

Donald Trump (teamtrump/ Instagram)
Donald Trump claimed that tackling foreign taxes and economic growth will outweigh the costs of childcare, promising no deficits and a substantial revenue increase (@teamtrump/Instagram)

Trump added, “And as much as childcare is talked about as being expensive, it’s, relatively speaking, not very expensive compared to the kind of numbers we’ll be taking in. We’re going to make this into an incredible country that can afford to take care of its people, and then we’ll worry about the rest of the world. Let’s help other people, but we’re going to take care of our country first. This is about America first. It’s about ‘Make America Great Again.’ We have to do it because right now we’re a failing nation, so we’ll take care of it. Thank you.”

Jessica Tarlov slams Donald Trump’s incoherent childcare response

On Fox News's 'The Five', Jessica Tarlov took aim at Donald Trump's cryptic comments, urging her co-hosts to decipher them. “Today was also about Donald Trump’s economic speech, and we watched a lot of it,” she said.

“And I would dare any of you to listen to his answer on childcare and tell me what the hell he was talking about. It was one of the more incoherent things I’ve ever heard. He thinks tariffs are gonna pay for everything. We know that they’re attacks on the consumer.”



 

She continued, "This really highlights the big problem, that everyone is saying 'Trump is so transparent' and 'Trump is out there and that's all that matters'. What matters is the content of what he is saying and none of it is explainable."

Tarlov also criticized Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance (R-OH), for his similar comments on childcare. Vance had suggested that other family members should take on the responsibility of childcare.

After an unsuccessful attempt by co-host Greg Gutfeld to clarify Trump's statements, he admitted defeat. “You can have it,” Gutfeld said. “I’m not that interested in the topic.”

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

President Trump urged Senate leaders in a Thursday Truth Social post to advance a $350 billion reconciliation bill to boost national security
2026-11-12T22:02:19.000Z
Jensen Huang, the co-founder and former CEO of Nvidia, reportedly had an extramarital relationship with Alice Huang, a businesswoman whom US authorities reportedly suspect of having links to Chinese intelligence
2026-11-12T20:12:03.000Z
Democratic Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden informed Trump administration Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a letter that he plans to investigate his 2025 confirmation testimony
2026-11-12T19:18:59.000Z
In his series of blistering attacks against President Trump, El-Sayed called Trump a ‘bully’ and advised Democrats to treat him as an ‘unserious fool’ rather than show him ‘decorum'
2026-11-12T16:42:00.000Z
Accusing blue states of stealing billions of dollars “each and every month,” President Donald Trump added that the budget could be balanced with the “correction of this large-scale criminal activity”
2026-11-12T15:29:14.000Z
Netanyahu urged Trump to resume Iran strikes, but the US president favored giving ongoing peace talks with Tehran more time
2026-11-12T07:59:15.000Z
The bill would let Epstein survivors, state attorneys general and lawmakers sue the DOJ over withheld records and expand prosecutions of alleged offenders
2026-11-12T06:39:59.000Z
Miles Taylor described how Miller's direct intervention across federal agencies and late-night calls kept officials aligned with Trump's agenda
2026-11-12T06:15:15.000Z
The US provides Israel with $3.8 billion in annual military aid, including $3.3 billion for weapons and $500 million for missile defense
2026-11-12T05:21:48.000Z
Mike Levin and Jason Crow's proposal seeks greater transparency in presidential pardons, including disclosures of gifts to Trump-linked projects
2026-11-12T05:05:30.000Z