Bill Maher fires back at liberal critics over second Trump dinner
Bill Maher said he was unbothered by criticism of his second dinner with Donald Trump, telling viewers he liked the dinners and defending his decision to attend. The meeting matters because Maher is a prominent Trump critic, and repeated social contact with the president has prompted questions from some of his liberal audience.
The dinner took place at the White House on 15 October, with sports commentator Stephen A. Smith and musician Kid Rock also attending. Trump said the gathering went well and lasted a long time. Maher’s first dinner with Trump was in April 2025, after which he said the president had seemed gracious and measured in private, while continuing to criticise him publicly; a public relations adviser said repeated dinners could bring renewed scrutiny.
In short
- Maher defended attending a second dinner with Trump.
- Stephen A. Smith and Kid Rock also attended.
- Maher says private cordiality has not stopped his public criticism.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Maher can argue that speaking with political opponents is valuable in its own right and that private conversation may reveal a more nuanced side of a public figure. Attending does not require him to soften his public criticism, and choosing dialogue over distance can be consistent with independence and open debate.
The case against
Critics can argue that repeated social dinners with a president Maher often condemns risk blurring the line between scrutiny and normalisation. Even without changing his stated views, the access and favourable account of Trump’s private manner may lend the president credibility while leaving audiences unsure how the relationship affects Maher’s criticism.