Bill Maher used his HBO show to push back against critics upset over his second dinner with President Trump, telling his audience Friday, “Yeah, I did it again, bitches.”
Maher made the remark during his opening monologue on “Real Time,” addressing the Oct. 15 dinner at the White House that also included sports commentator Stephen A. Smith and musician Kid Rock. It was Maher’s second meal with Trump, following an earlier dinner in April 2025.
“You know what? F— you. I like these dinners,” Maher said, standing by his decision to attend again.
Trump had already confirmed the gathering to reporters the day after it happened, calling it “great” and saying he thought his guests “had a good time.” The president also said Maher “likes me a lot more than people understand,” adding, “We talked about everything. It lasted a long time.”
Maher had tipped off the dinner ahead of time during a conversation with Hollywood executive Ari Emanuel on his “Club Random” podcast earlier in October. “I’m having dinner with him again next week,” Maher said then, recounting how the invitation came out of nowhere after their first meeting. “After the first dinner, I went back to doing what I do … But then, like, he just, out of the blue, let’s have dinner again. And I was like, great. And he was really nice.”
Maher described Trump telling him, “I promise I won’t say bad things about you like I did the last time,” to which Maher said he replied that the president should say whatever he wants. “It’s like being called a ‘hockey puck’ by Don Rickles. It’s just what he does. It’s how he talks,” Maher said.
A Pattern Dating Back to 2025
Maher first drew attention for dining with Trump in April 2025, alongside Kid Rock and UFC CEO Dana White. Afterward, he told his audience the experience had changed his view of the president somewhat. “You can hate me for it, but I’m not a liar. Trump was gracious and measured,” Maher said at the time. “And why isn’t that in other settings? I don’t know, and I can’t answer, and it’s not my place to answer. I’m just telling you what I saw, and I wasn’t high.”
That didn’t stop Maher from continuing to criticize Trump’s policies. In June, he mocked the administration’s handling of an Iran agreement, joking that Trump had gone from demanding “unconditional surrender” to accepting a memorandum of understanding. “We got everything we wanted except for everything we asked for,” Maher said.
A Deliberate Strategy, PR Expert Says
Jason Mudd, CEO of Axia Public Relations, told Fox News Digital he believes Maher’s monologue reflected a calculated approach to handling the inevitable criticism.
“Maher walked in with a plan. His Friday monologue showed it. I said last week that each event guest needs a prepared message in anticipation of public criticism,” Mudd said.
Mudd said Maher’s direct, unapologetic response likely helps him keep the trust of fans skeptical of his ties to Trump. “If Bill Maher were my client, I’d advise him to keep sounding like himself. A host who sounds like a surrogate loses credibility,” he said. “Maher sounded like Maher, so that risk stays low. Repetition is the next risk, because each new dinner invites the same questions.”
“Comedians win by joking first, not by clarifying,” Mudd added. “Naming the backlash before his critics do takes much of their power away.”
