The comedian recounted the meeting arranged by Kid Rock, saying it offered a rare break from political animosity.
Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher shared details of a recent private dinner with President Donald Trump, offering a different view of the president than what Maher typically voices on his show.
The dinner, which Maher described during Friday’s episode of his weekly show “Real Time With Bill Maher,” was arranged by musician Kid Rock, a mutual friend of both men. It took place roughly two weeks prior at the White House and was intended, he said, as an effort to foster dialogue rather than division.
Maher opened the segment by dismissing suggestions that the meeting was a political summit.
“I have no power. I’m a comedian,” he said, emphasizing that the dinner was not about brokering deals but exploring common ground between ideological opponents.
“No, I didn’t go MAGA,” Maher told his audience, noting that there was no pressure to do so.
Instead, he said he was met by a version of the president he believed was different from his public persona.
“The guy I met is not the person who, the night before, tweeted a bunch of nasty crap,” Maher said. “But when I got there, that guy wasn’t living there.”
Ahead of the meeting, Trump addressed it in a social media post, writing, “I got a call from a very good guy, and friend of mine, Kid Rock, asking me whether or not it would be possible for me to meet, in the White House, with Bill Maher, a man who has been unjustifiably critical of anything, or anyone, TRUMP. I really didn’t like the idea much, and don’t like it much now, but thought it would be interesting.”
He added that Maher would likely continue to criticize him publicly, regardless of what occurred privately.
“Who knows, though, maybe I’ll be proven wrong? In any event, I’m doing a favor for a friend,” he wrote.
Maher brought up that post in his dialogue, saying that he told the president he was wrong when he said the night before the dinner that he was critical of all things the president had done.
“Not true, check the tapes,” he said.
“Moving Israel’s embassy to Jerusalem? Loved it. The border did need to be controlled. I’m glad the cops are getting their morale back. DEI had gone too far. Biological men shouldn’t be playing women’s sports. Europe should pay for their defense. And of course, it makes sense that Arab countries should take in Arab refugees—like the million Syrians who wound up in Germany—when Saudi Arabia took none.”
By Chase Smith
