Bill Maher said he won’t apologize for attending a second White House dinner with President Donald Trump on Oct. 15, and defended the meeting on HBO’s Real Time amid backlash.
Maher confirmed he joined a private dinner at the White House that also included Stephen A. Smith and Kid Rock, USA TODAY reported, saying the president texted him to invite him back after their first meeting in 2025.
On the Oct. 15 episode of Real Time, Maher addressed critics and used profane language to dismiss their objections, saying, according to Fox News, “Yeah, I did it again, b—-es,” and adding, “You know what? F— you. I like these dinners.” Fox’s report describes Maher’s remarks as part of his opening monologue responding to the backlash.
President Trump told reporters the dinner “was great,” USA TODAY reported, and later posted a lengthy message on Truth Social about Maher, which CNN described as the president’s longest post on the platform. Maher has remained publicly critical of many of Trump’s policies even as he accepted the invitation to dine again.
Why Maher says he won’t apologize
Maher told listeners on his Club Random podcast that Trump texted him unexpectedly and that he accepted the invitation to continue a private conversation, USA TODAY documented. Fox’s coverage said media strategists viewed Maher’s on-air tone as a prepared strategy to blunt criticism by owning the choice and mocking expected backlash.
Stephen A. Smith later described the meeting as a substantive, four-hour discussion touching on foreign policy and domestic issues, USA TODAY reported, and said the group pressed the president on topics where they disagreed. Smith’s account — which he laid out on his YouTube show — is the same gathering USA TODAY tied to Oct. 15.
The White House dinners follow Maher’s April 2025 visit, which drew attention at the time and prompted public criticism; Trump later described that earlier meeting as a “waste of time,” USA TODAY noted. The more recent exchange has reignited debate about entertainers meeting with sitting presidents and whether private conversations change public positions.
For now, Maher has framed his choice as a willingness to talk rather than apologize. Fox’s report quoted him saying he liked the dinners and would continue to portray what he sees, even if the decision draws heat from parts of his usual audience.
Sources
- CNN — reported that Trump posted a lengthy Truth Social message about Maher and described the post as his longest.
- USA TODAY — confirmed Maher attended a second White House dinner Oct. 15 and provided details from Stephen A. Smith and Maher’s podcast comments.
- Fox News — published Maher’s Real Time remarks where he dismissed critics and said he would not apologize.
