Comedian Bill Maher stunned his audience Friday night on HBO’s Real Time after sharing the details of his headline-grabbing dinner with President Trump. Instead of a clash, Maher described a surprisingly cordial and eye-opening experience.
“Everything I’ve not liked about him was absent. At least on this night,” Maher told viewers. He admitted that his take might cause “liberal sphincters” to tighten but stood by his account.
Signed Insults and MAGA Hats
Maher didn’t arrive empty-handed. He brought a printed list of Trump’s past insults, including “sleaze-bag” and “low-life dummy,” and asked the president to sign it. Trump obliged—with humor.
“He signed it with a smile,” Maher said, holding up the autographed list to audience applause. Trump also gifted Maher several MAGA hats, reportedly from the same room where President Clinton had his infamous encounters with Monica Lewinsky.
Still, Maher insisted he didn’t feel pressured to “go MAGA.”
Conversation Was Surprisingly Normal
Maher recalled being able to speak freely with Trump in a way he never felt possible with presidents Clinton or Obama. He emphasized how normal and engaged Trump was throughout the dinner.
“He looked me in the eye. He listened. He wasn’t distracted or rushed,” Maher said, shocked by how the president led the conversation and genuinely asked for his opinions.
Iran Nuclear Deal and the 2020 Election
One tense moment came when Trump asked Maher about the Iran nuclear deal. Maher criticized Trump for tearing it up, expecting a fiery response.
Instead, Trump “took it in,” Maher said, adding, “He didn’t get mad or call me a left-wing lunatic.”
Maher also revealed that Trump used the word “lost” when referring to the 2020 election. “I never thought I’d hear him say that,” Maher said. “He’s more self-aware than he lets on.”
The Private Trump vs. Public Trump
Maher described two very different Trumps—the one he met in private and the bombastic version on television.
“He laughs. At himself. And it’s not fake,” Maher said, amazed. “As a comedian for 40 years, I know a fake laugh when I hear one.”
Trump reportedly joked that Ronald Reagan’s best feature was “his hair,” prompting Maher to remind him that defeating Communism was also a solid achievement. Trump laughed at the remark.
A Shocking Takeaway from the White House
The strangest part, Maher said, came when he went home, turned on the TV, and saw Trump back in full public persona mode. “Who’s that guy?” Maher quipped.
He concluded with a stinger: “A crazy person does not live in the White House. A person who plays a crazy person on TV does. Which is still messed up, just not as messed up as I thought.”
Dinner guests included UFC president Dana White and musician Kid Rock, who reportedly helped arrange the unusual meeting.
