Comedian and talk show host Bill Maher has detailed a falling out with Larry David that occurred after Maher attended a dinner with President Donald Trump in 2025. The event led David to write an essay for The New York Times titled "My Dinner With Adolf," expressing his strong disapproval of Maher's meeting with the then-president. According to Maher, their relationship has not recovered since the incident.
Maher recounted the situation in an interview with The New York Times Magazine. He explained that David was “so outraged” by the dinner that he penned the critical essay. Jerry Seinfeld also reportedly commented on the situation, noting that both Maher and David were “kind of bugged out” following the event, which was organized by Kid Rock.
Initially, Maher viewed his meeting with Trump as a strategic move to gain insight into the administration, stating that if the president received his information from those around him, he wanted to be one of those individuals. However, just 12 days after the dinner, Maher appeared on his HBO show "Real Time" and offered praise for Trump, describing him as “gracious and measured” and more down-to-earth in private than his public persona suggested. This public endorsement of the president surprised many of Maher's friends and colleagues.
Actor Sean Penn reportedly expressed confusion over Maher's emphasis on Trump's likability. Despite Maher's initial private assessment, he later criticized Trump's first 100 days in office as containing "probably 100 things to legitimately hate."
Earlier this year, Trump himself characterized the 2025 dinner as a "total waste of time" and referred to Maher as a "jerk" and a "highly overrated lightweight." The feud between the two men has continued, with Maher recently addressing Trump's perception of betrayal following their interactions. Maher also touched upon public disagreements with other comedians, including Dave Chappelle, who reportedly criticized Maher's commentary in a Netflix special.
Not all colleagues have been critical, however. Louis C.K. previously described Maher as "allergic to bulls---" and stated that Maher "doesn’t need you to think he’s a good guy — but he is."
Mahaer also discussed his upcoming receipt of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center, an institution where Trump serves as chairman.
