Bill Maher Reflects on White House Dinner with President Trump
The comedian recounted how the meeting set up by Kid Rock provided a unique reprieve from political tensions.
According to Maher, the dinner, which he described during Friday’s episode of his weekly program “Real Time With Bill Maher,” was organized by musician Kid Rock, a mutual acquaintance of both men. Taking place about two weeks prior at the White House, the dinner was aimed at promoting dialogue rather than division.
Maher commenced the segment by dismissing any notions that the meeting served as a political summit.
“I have no power. I’m a comedian,” he stated, underscoring that the dinner was not for negotiating but for seeking common ground between ideological adversaries.
“No, I didn’t go MAGA,” Maher informed his audience, highlighting that there was no obligation to conform.
Instead, he described encountering a side of the president that he felt was distinct from his public image.
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“The man I met isn’t the one who, the night prior, tweeted a slew of disparaging remarks,” Maher noted. “But when I arrived, that individual wasn’t present.”
He added that Maher would likely keep criticizing him publicly, regardless of what transpired privately.
“Who knows, though, maybe I’ll be proven wrong? In any case, I’m doing a favor for a friend,” he remarked.
Maher referred to that post during his dialogue, expressing that he told the president he was mistaken when he claimed the previous night that Maher criticized all of his actions.
“Not true, check the tapes,” he asserted.
“Relocating Israel’s embassy to Jerusalem? Loved it. The border needed control. I’m pleased that the police are regaining their morale. DEI had gone too far. Biological males shouldn’t compete in women’s sports. Europe should fund its defense. And of course, it makes sense for Arab countries to take in Arab refugees—like the million Syrians who ended up in Germany—while Saudi Arabia took none.”
During the dinner, Maher stated the conversation spanned various topics from policy issues like Iran’s nuclear ambitions to the scenario in Gaza. He noted that Trump was sincere in his questions and did not become defensive when challenged.
Maher remarked that there were numerous instances where he joked or contradicted the president, but Trump “absorbed it” and “didn’t become angry or label me a left-wing lunatic.”
A notable moment occurred when Trump referenced a previous legal dispute involving Maher, in which the comedian humorously suggested that the president’s father was an orangutan. Maher explained that he used the joke to counter Trump’s “birther” claims about President Barack Obama’s birthplace. The president reportedly responded with a smile.
Maher conveyed that his opinions had remained unchanged.
“I’ll continue to be critical of much of what he’s doing,” he remarked. “But I also believe he now recognizes I have a job to perform.”
According to Maher, the discussion was frank and even amusing. At one point, Trump joked that President Ronald Reagan’s hair was his most admirable quality, to which Maher responded that Reagan also played a role in dismantling communism.
“A crazy person doesn’t occupy the White House,” Maher stated. “A person who frequently portrays a crazy character on TV does.”
President Donald Trump, accompanied by entertainer Kid Rock, signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on March 31, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Trump has not made any public statements regarding the dinner since it took place.
