Trump says dinner with ‘jerk’ Bill Maher was a ‘total waste of time’
Nearly a year later, President Donald Trump says his dinner with Bill Maher was not a good use of time.
In an almost 500-word post on Truth Social Feb. 14, Trump slammed the “Real Time With Bill Maher” host as a “highly overrated LIGHTWEIGHT” after meeting with him at the White House early last year.
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Maher for comment.
Maher received criticism from some of his liberal viewers in April 2025 after he had dinner with Trump and subsequently said on his HBO show that it was a positive experience. Trump, though, wrote on Truth Social that it was a “total waste of time for me to have this jerk at the White House.”
Trump’s post appeared to have been inspired by the way Maher covered a statement of his from earlier in the week. On the latest “Real Time” on Feb. 13, Maher mockingly read a Feb. 9 Truth Social post where Trump discussed a potential trade deal between Canada and China, claiming that China would “terminate ALL Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup.” Maher expressed bewilderment with Trump’s statement, asking on his HBO show, “Why would China destroy hockey?”
In his Feb. 14 post on Truth Social, Trump shot back that he was not “being serious” when he made this statement about hockey and concluded that Maher is “no different” than the other late-night hosts he has frequently attacked, including Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert.
Trump also claimed Maher was “extremely nervous” and “had ZERO confidence in himself” when they met, adding that although they had a “great dinner” and Maher “seemed to be a nice guy,” his show has since been “very boring” and “ANTI TRUMP.”
Kid Rock, a vocal supporter of Trump, set up the dinner between Maher and Trump at the White House in 2025. Afterward, the comedian said on his show that Trump was much different in person than he expected, telling viewers the president is self-aware and has a good sense of humor.