Bill Maher Praises President Trump as ‘Gracious’ and ‘Not Fake’ Recounting His White House Visit: ‘Everything I’ve Ever Not Liked About Him Was Absent’

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A new guideline: If I plan to critique the U.S. President, then I’ll dine with the U.S. President. This rule could have been one of the taboos for the March 31st episode of “Real Time With Bill Maher,” during which the host shared his White House visit with President Trump, having occurred on that date. As a long-standing critic of the President since before he took office, Maher described the encounter in a detailed opening monologue for the show.

Firstly, let me express that for those who regarded this as a high-level gathering, ‘You’re being absurd!'” Maher began. “As if I were about to draft an agreement or similar! I hold no authority. I am merely a comedian.

Later, Maher proudly displayed a document signed by the President, which contained a collection of disparaging remarks Trump had made about Maher throughout the years, such as “scum” and “his show is failing.” However, Maher’s demeanor shifted not long after this.

The individual I encountered is distinct from the one who, prior to our dinner, posted numerous disrespectful tweets questioning the dinner’s validity and my sanity,” Maher stated. “Firstly, this person exhibits laughter, something I had never witnessed him do in public before. However, he does laugh, even at his own expense. He appears genuine.

During a tour of the White House, Maher recalled an extraordinary instance: “I can’t exactly remember what we were discussing, but it seemed to revolve around the 2020 election, as I distinctly recall him using the word ‘lost.’ I was taken aback, as I hadn’t expected to hear such a sentiment from him. Remarkably, he didn’t react angrily. In fact, he appears to be more self-aware than his public persona suggests.

During the discussion, the moderator pointed out that the talk encompassed the host’s personal criticisms of the Trump administration, such as its scrapping of President Obama’s 2015 agreement with Iran to restrict its nuclear activities. Furthermore, he expressed approval for Trump’s stance on DEI going too far, legislations against trans athletes, and continued backing of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. He underlined that these insights from Trump’s private comments were a symbolic reason for the Democrats’ current unpopularity.

Well, I understand where you’re coming from. It doesn’t really matter who he was with at a private dinner, laughing it up with a comedian. What truly matters is who he presents as on the global stage. To be honest, I’m viewing this person in a positive light because everything I’ve disliked about him seemed to be missing during this encounter. In fact, on this particular night, he mainly focused the conversation on seeking others’ opinions. I know this might sound surprising, but even to me it was shocking.

An individual known for often portraying a mad character resides in the White House, not someone truly insane as one might assume. Though it’s still far from ideal, it’s less shocking than I initially believed.

Previously, Maher hinted that he had significant details to share about his March 31 meeting with Trump, posting on X the following day to say, “Thank you for your curiosity about my dinner with the president last night. Trust me, everything will be disclosed on the next episode of [‘Real Time’]. As today is April Fool’s Day, no one would believe what I said today regardless!

The dinner was arranged by musician Kid Rock, who has been a consistent backer of former President Trump and is among his vocal advocates in the entertainment world. Kid Rock attended the gathering where Maher met with the president.

Following Maher’s meeting with Trump, the administration has been under intense scrutiny due to imposing heavy tariffs on all U.S. trading partners, resulting in significant drops in the global stock market every day. After implementing this policy on April 2nd, President Trump subsequently issued a 90-day halt on global tariffs, although they have raised duties on China to 145%, which has prompted China to retaliate with its own tariffs, pushing the world’s largest economies into a trade conflict.

At the beginning of his talk, Maher admitted to the shift in the news cycle by saying, “He imposed tariffs on all countries worldwide, leading to a significant drop in the stock market. The following day, he commented, ‘I didn’t give the order like ‘Simon says.’

Guests on this week’s episode of “Real Time” included Steve Bannon, Piers Morgan and Josh Rogin.

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2025-04-12 05:46