Bill Maher breaks down dispute between him and the president, refutes Trump's claims
On Friday's episode of "Real Time," host Bill Maher broke down his dispute with President Donald Trump after the president called his dinner with the late-night host at the White House in April a "total waste of time."
"Real Time" host Bill Maher broke down the ongoing dispute with President Donald Trump on Friday, asserting that he doesn't suffer from "Trump derangement syndrome," but rather, the president suffers from "Bill Maher derangement syndrome."
Following their seemingly cordial dinner at the White House in April 2025 — arranged by Trump and Maher's mutual friend, singer Kid Rock — the president took to Truth Social last month to blast the dinner with Maher as a "total waste of time."
During his "new rule" segment at the end of Friday's show, the "Real Time" host said, "Someone has to help Donald Trump understand that I don't suffer from Trump derangement syndrome. He suffers from Bill Maher derangements syndrome."
Bill Maher disputed President Trump's claims from last month about their dinner together in April. (Screenshot/HBO; Getty Images)
"Three weeks ago, I woke up to some things the president had written on his Truth Social media platform that somehow were not true. I don't know how they got in there. It's not like the president to just make things up when he's mad. But on this occasion, he did, which I forgive, but on Valentine's Day, that hurt."
Maher then went through a litany of accusations Trump made about him, such as the late-night host "immediately" requesting a vodka tonic and that he was "extremely nervous" upon meeting the president.
"But just to set the record straight, from what the president claimed, I didn't ask for the dinner. Our mutual friend asked me. It's on tape from my podcast. Also, I wasn't nervous and scared, and the dinner wasn't quick. I was there almost three hours, and it wasn't vodka. It was a margarita. I didn't ask for it right away. I had a drink before dinner, and then a couple more during. I was having a good time," he declared. "So were you, Don, because we were talking like real humans, not like that crazy act you put on in public."
As described by Maher, Trump is someone who "wears his heart on his sleeve" and feels "hurt" when people like the "Real Time" host fail to recognize his accomplishments.
Maher went on to describe an alleged text exchange between himself and the president: "You texted me soon after the dinner, complaining I was still part of the lunatic left. You should have won a Nobel Prize for ending wars. And I texted back, ‘Yeah, and I should have 120 Emmys.’ We argued for a while and you ended by saying, 'Bill, you know what, don't change. I wouldn't know what to do with you if you did.'"
"OK, that's the normal human being. I saw the night we broke bread and as long as I think there's even a spark of a possibility to bring that guy out more, I will not consider the dinner a waste of time," he added.
The April 2025 White House dinner between the two was arranged by mutual friend Kid Rock. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for CMT; Randy Holmes via Getty Images)
Continuing, the late-night host made his case as to why he doesn't have "Trump derangement syndrome."
"Let's go through the things you're butthurt about people not having noticed. Because some people do have TDS. But you know what? I've called people out for making hating you their entire reason to live. Get a life. Stop making him your whole personality," he argued. "But Don, you have to take some responsibility for that, because you make people crazy. Because you do things that are racist, misogynistic, anti-democratic, and corrupt. But I'll prove now, I don't have the dreaded TDS."
BILL MAHER SAYS HE CAN'T DENY PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SUCCESS DESPITE ACKNOWLEDGING HE WASN'T 'HIS CHOICE'
Maher noted that he never threw Trump "under the bus" after their meeting together, even after being chastised for "[eating] steak with Hitler."
He also pointed out that he commended Trump for his success in restoring the country's southern border, the removal of violent criminals and the "taking out of Iran's nuclear capability," among others.
While Maher has been vocal about touting the president's wins, the comedian noted that he has "every right" to criticize things that don't match his "idea of success."
President Donald Trump and comedian Bill Maher met at the White House for dinner in April 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)
"ICE? Yeah, I'm glad you got rid of stone-cold criminals, but no one wanted the sadism and stupidity that went along with it. DOGE? A complete disaster. People died for no reason and it cut no government waste. Coal is not beautiful or clean. Criminalizing dissent is wrong and so is the juvenile trolling and suing people into silence," he argued.
"Don, there are things that you do that we, not just me, but we, I mean even the people who are too scared to talk to you straight, just don't get about you. Taking the side of autocrats instead of democratic allies around the world? Who hates Canada? And wind? You hate the wind?"
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Closing out the segment, Maher referenced Georgia Sen. Jon Ossof's, D-Ga., recent remark that those in the Trump administration are "the elites they pretend to hate."
"Free advice, if the Democrats ever learn to weaponize [Ossof's] message, your MAGA movement is in big trouble," he concluded.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately hear back.
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