Comedian Bill Maher stated on Sunday that President Donald Trump feels "betrayed" by him following their continued public disagreements after a cordial dinner in 2025. Maher, host of HBO's "Real Time," discussed his ongoing public exchanges with Trump during an appearance on ABC's "This Week."
Maher recently accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center, where Trump is the chairman. Reports indicated that the Trump administration initially sought to prevent Maher from receiving the award. Maher addressed these developments on his "Club Random" podcast in April, acknowledging Trump's efforts to block his award as a serious engagement with the feud.
"He was just mad at me because I went to his house for dinner with no guarantee that I would leave – guarantee? It was never in the cards that I was ever going to come over to their – his side," Maher said on "This Week," explaining the root of the conflict. He characterized the dinner as an attempt to foster dialogue rather than outright agreement.
Anchor Jonathan Karl noted that Maher had faced criticism for meeting with Trump, a decision Maher defended. "I reported honestly that it, no, it wasn't a terrible experience at all from a guy who has done some terrible things," Maher stated.
Karl observed that Trump's public criticism of Maher had intensified since their dinner. "Yes, because now he feels betrayed, which is silly because there was never a deal. It was only set up as, instead of shouting at each other, talk to each other," Maher responded.
Despite his criticisms of Trump, Maher indicated that he could consider voting for a Republican like Vice President JD Vance in 2028 if the Democratic candidate is supported by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). "My vote is in play because it can’t be Trump running, so I’m not living in communist America," Maher said.