Bill Maher reveals he's having dinner with Trump again, says he was 'really nice' by text
Bill Maher Confirms Another Dinner With President Donald Trump
Washington, D.C. — Liberal comedian Bill Maher announced on Monday that he will meet President Donald Trump again for dinner, a move that rekindles a series of private conversations between the two former political adversaries.
During an episode of his “Club Random” podcast, Maher spoke with Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel, who had previously represented Trump when the president hosted “The Apprentice.” The comedian said, “I’m having dinner with him again next week.” He added that the first meeting had surprised him: “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 emphasized that the dinner was intended as a dialogue rather than a platform for criticism. “I promise I won’t say bad things about you like I did the last time,” he told Emanuel. “You know what, you’re the president of the United States. Say whatever the f‑ you want. I’m just glad we’re talking.” The comedian compared the experience to being called a “hockey puck” by Don Rickles, suggesting that Trump’s humor is part of the conversation.
Emanuel, who reportedly spoke with Trump on the same Monday, defended the idea of meeting with a political opponent. “It blows my mind that there are people in this world and lots of them on the far left who just would turn this opportunity down, a private dinner in the White House with the president, just a few people, say whatever you want,” he said. “I’ve heard people say, ‘Well, I don’t like the war.’ Tell him! You can tell them, and I will.”
The dinner is not the first time the pair has sat down together. In 2019, a mutual friend of theirs—musician Kid Rock—brokered a meeting at the White House that led to a private dinner. In that encounter, Maher described Trump as “gracious and good‑humored,” and noted that Trump was “much more self‑aware than he lets on in public.” Maher said the president did not react negatively when he broached the 2020 election and Trump’s acknowledgment that he had lost.
Maher also took aim at the relationship between Larry David and his agent, who had facilitated David’s own White House dinner last year. “It’s so interesting to me that Larry David… I talk to him, but his own agent just talked to him on Monday,” Maher laughed. “You must recognize the hypocrisy there. Somehow, when it’s his own agent doing the exact same thing, this is, then we don’t play the Hitler card.”
While the podcast was released on Monday, the White House and Maher’s representatives have not issued statements regarding the upcoming meeting. The dinner’s location is expected to be the White House, though no official confirmation has been made.
Maher’s renewed engagement with Trump follows a history of public feuding that spanned more than a decade. The comedian, who has been a vocal critic of the former president, was awarded the Mark Twain Prize by the Kennedy Center earlier this year—an award whose board chairman is Trump. Reports suggest that the White House attempted to block Maher’s acceptance of the prize. Trump has also taken aim at Maher’s social media presence on Truth Social, labeling the comedian’s ratings as low.
Despite their on‑stage disputes, Maher and Trump seem to maintain a cordial relationship behind the scenes. “I never felt I had to walk on eggshells around him,” Maher told listeners. “I would never feel comfortable talking to Clinton or Obama in that way.” He added that he sees the dinner as “emblematic of why the Democrats are so unpopular these days,” though he made no further policy comments.
The forthcoming dinner is yet to take place, and no details on the agenda or attendees have emerged. As the story develops, observers will watch to see whether the meeting reinforces the trend of former adversaries seeking dialogue, or whether it reignites the heated exchanges that defined their earlier public encounters.
