Comedian Bill Maher recently shared details of an unexpected meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House last week, describing the encounter as surprisingly pleasant and revealing.
“You can criticize me for this,” Maher stated, “but I’m not deceptive. The president was gracious and measured.” He questioned why such demeanor wasn’t more common in public settings, adding with a wry tone, “I wasn’t high; that’s all I witnessed.”
Maher playfully dismissed the attention surrounding his visit as excessive, calling reactions to it “ridiculous,” and emphasized his own lack of influence. “I’m a comedian! He leads the world!” he exclaimed. “My power lies with a group of people who believe there’s a better way forward than constant division.”
He revealed that Trump had signed a printout of past insults directed at him “with good humor.” “I didn’t go ‘MAGA,’ and to the president’s credit, there was no pressure for me to do so,” Maher clarified.
Maher expressed surprise by Trump’s ability to laugh—particularly at himself—a behavior he hadn’t previously observed in public. He described Trump as “much more self-aware than he lets on,” noting that the conversation included a discussion about the 2020 election, and Trump did not react negatively when Maher brought up his loss.
“It doesn’t matter who he is—it’s a private dinner with a comedian,” Maher explained. “What matters is how he carries himself on the world stage. I’m simply noting that this person, at least on this night, was far more reasonable than his public persona suggests.” He contrasted Trump’s attentiveness with interactions with other prominent individuals who seemed disengaged and preoccupied.
While they engaged in moments of disagreement, Maher asserted the atmosphere remained cordial. “I never felt like I had to be careful around him,” he said. He remarked that his comfort level in speaking freely with Trump was greater than it would have been with Democratic leaders, a dynamic he attributed to a potential explanation for the Democrats’ current unpopularity.
The most striking aspect of the visit, Maher recounted, was seeing the stark contrast between his experience and the portrayal of Trump on “60 Minutes,” where he appeared “ranting” and agitated. “Who is that guy? What happened to Glinda the Good Witch?” Maher quipped.
He acknowledged the inherent strangeness of the situation, stating, “A crazy person doesn’t live in the White House; a person who plays a crazy person on television a lot does.” However, he added, “It wasn’t as unsettling as I imagined.”
Maher noted that Trump had mentioned seeing the previous episode of his show and commented, “I thought maybe you’d be nice, but you hit me really hard,” to which Maher responded in kind. He made it clear he would continue to hold the president accountable on issues such as trade wars and actions perceived as undermining democratic institutions.
The visit yielded no tangible gifts beyond “hats, a generous amount of time, and a willingness to listen,” Maher said, but he valued the perception that Trump viewed him as a potential friend despite their ideological differences. A highlight of the evening was their shared agreement that they both received positive feedback from people who approved of their meeting.
Maher ended his account with a pointed critique of what he perceived as unproductive liberal responses, contrasting them with Trump’s willingness to engage. “Don’t talk,” he mocked, referencing Sen. Cory Booker’s recent lengthy Senate speech, “Is that all we have? He takes the piss out of everybody else, and we can’t hold our end?”
- Maher described Trump as gracious and measured during their meeting.
- The comedian emphasized his lack of political influence, stating he is “just a f—ing comedian.”
- Trump signed a printout of past insults with “good humor.”
- Maher was surprised by Trump’s ability to laugh at himself.
- He noted the contrast between the private dinner and the public image portrayed on television.
Quote: “A crazy person doesn’t live in the White House; a person who plays a crazy person on TV a lot lives there.”
