Bill Maher and Donald Trump feud over White House dinners

Donald Trump and Bill Maher are engaged in a public feud. The former president posted a 1,318-word rant on Truth Social, calling the HBO host a 'complete and total loser' and claiming Maher was 'pretty high' during a White House dinner. Bill Maher addressed the post directly on his show Real Time with Bill Maher, defending himself and firing back with critiques of Trump's political standing.

Trump wrote the lengthy post seemingly in response to jokes Maher made during his October 23 episode. In it, he detailed his version of events surrounding two dinners held at the White House. Maher was handed a printed copy of the post during a recent taping and proceeded to address what he called 'a few of the allegations' point by point.

Dinner meetings

The two met for dinner on two occasions at the White House during Trump's second term. The second dinner occurred on October 15. It was attended by musician Kid Rock and commentator Stephen A. Smith. The first meeting took place in March 2025.

Trump's claims

Trump made several claims about Maher, including his behavior at the White House. He asserted that Maher invited himself, a notion Maher mocked. "As if you could do that," Maher said. "Sir, Bill Maher is here. Well, he's not invited, but the law."

Trump insisted Maher was 'pretty high' at the White House, a claim Kid Rock later confirmed on Maher's show. He also said Maher had alcohol in his hand while walking through the building. Trump further claimed Maher called him incessantly, which Maher flatly denied. I've never called you, you call me, the host stated.

The former president criticized Maher's intelligence, saying he doesn't think it was a good thing to take the Nuclear Weapon away from Iran. Real Time played clips contradicting this. Trump said he learned nothing from their second meeting, calling it a 'total waste of time' and claiming Maher's show got 'worse' afterward. He also praised Karoline Leavitt's performance on Maher's show, calling her defense of him strong. Despite the criticism, Trump told reporters the day after the October 15 dinner that he 'liked' Maher.

Maher's response

Maher responded to Trump's claims on his show Real Time. He invited former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to his show on October 23. During that interview, Maher said the Republican Party doesn't like Trump anymore.

Maher countered Trump's attack on his show's ratings by pointing to Trump's political standing. He stated Trump has the 'lowest approval rating of any midterm candidate ever' and that 'Only one percent of the Republicans are mentioning him in their ads.' Trump, in his post, had cited CNN polls showing 98-99% Republican support and called himself 'The Most Influential President of the Last Century.'

The comedian also made light of the situation. Responding to being called a 'major POTHEAD,' Maher quipped, Boy, that explains a lot. I thought I was just happy. He joked that eating with Trump is like dating Taylor Swift. Reflecting on the unusual post-dinner commentary, Maher said, dining at the White House is the opposite of the Cheesecake Factory. After you leave, they review you.

Maher noted the whole point of the dinners was to talk, disagree, but listen, which he does in person, but don't hate each other. He said Trump went off on him like Kelly Clarkson in a toy store. Bill Maher's show will likely continue to address the feud with Donald Trump.