Trump Criticizes Bill Maher After Dinner Meeting

President Donald Trump issued a lengthy critique of comedian Bill Maher on Sunday. In a Truth Social post, Trump labeled Maher a “complete and total loser” and urged him not to seek another meeting. Previously, Maher had visited the White House twice.

The comments came after Maher discussed his October 15 dinner with Trump during an episode of Real Time With Bill Maher. While defending his decision to meet Trump, Maher continued to joke about and critique the president. Despite criticism for engaging with Trump, Maher argues that direct dialogue is valuable. “I go and say face-to-face to the man the things you write in articles he’ll never read,” Maher stated on his HBO show. He also noted that he enjoyed the interaction, stating, “I like these dinners.”

Maher spoke positively about their personal encounters, despite ongoing political criticism. During Friday’s show, Maher remarked, “He looks you in the eye, he never interrupts, he never gets mad, he listens.” Additionally, Trump praised Karoline Leavitt, his former press secretary, who appeared on Maher’s show, commending her defense of both herself and Trump. Yet, Trump accused the show of unfair treatment towards her.

In contrast to these exchanges, Maher’s monologue included several jokes and criticisms aimed at Trump. Maher mocked Trump’s approval ratings and comments about men’s physiques while joking about his own White House dinner. “Trump has the lowest approval rating of any midterm candidate ever,” Maher said. “Only 1 percent of the Republicans are mentioning him in their ads,” he continued. Maher also jested, “I’m a little hurt. I was there for dinner for four hours last week, and not a peep. Nothing.”

Maher claimed to have addressed various contentious issues during the dinner, including immigration enforcement, the Supreme Court, and the 2020 presidential election. In his reply, Trump disputed Maher’s account, saying, “Bill: Don’t call anymore. It’s useless.” He described Maher as a “hopeless guy” who catered to his audience. Trump also refuted Maher’s claim about the dinner’s length, stating it lasted “two hours, maybe less.”

Despite this, Trump described the meeting as positive, mentioning that the gathering included musician Kid Rock and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. Trump previously insinuated that Maher liked him more than publicly admitted, claiming, “likes me a lot more than people understand.” Meanwhile, Maher encourages critics to engage directly with Trump. On his Club Random podcast, he stated: “He needs more people like us, not less.”

The recent clash marks another chapter in Maher’s complex relationship with Trump. This occurred months after Maher received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Trump concluded his post by dismissing further meetings with Maher, calling him a “Loser.”