US President Donald Trump has criticised comedian and ‘Real Time’ host Bill Maher, describing their White House dinner as a “complete waste of time” and calling Maher “no different” from late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert.
Posting on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump recounted the meeting with Maher, saying the television host appeared “extremely nervous” and “had zero confidence in himself,” prompting him to order a vodka and tonic to calm his nerves. “He said to me, ‘I’ve never felt like this before, I am actually scared,’” Trump wrote. “In one respect, it was somewhat endearing.”
Trump added that while the dinner itself was “quick” and “easy” and Maher appeared “a nice guy,” he ultimately felt the meeting was pointless. The post appeared to be partially prompted by Maher’s remarks on Friday, mocking Trump’s comments that China could “terminate all ice hockey” in Canada if the two nations signed a trade deal.
“In any event, it was a total waste of time for me to have this jerk at the White House,” Trump wrote. He described Maher’s focus on the hockey comment as “foolish” and went on to attack the comedian’s ratings, branding him a “highly overrated LIGHTWEIGHT.”
Trump concluded, “He is no different than Kimmel, Fallon, or Colbert but, I must admit, slightly more talented! … I’d much rather spend my time MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN than wasting it on him.”
Maher, meanwhile, offered a far more conciliatory account of the dinner in April 2025. Speaking on Real Time, he described Trump as “gracious” and “much more self-aware than he lets on in public,” noting that the former president “laughs, including at himself,” contrary to his public persona.
The exchange highlights the ongoing tension between Trump and various late-night hosts, who have frequently criticised his policies and rhetoric, while also offering a glimpse into a rarely seen private meeting between the two.
