Bill Maher defends dinner with Trump, calls critics 'idiots'

Comedian says he hasn't stopped criticizing the former president despite backlash over their meeting.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Comedian Bill Maher defended his decision to have dinner with former President Donald Trump in April 2025, calling people who stopped watching his show because of it "idiots." Maher said he hasn't paused on making fun of Trump or the left, and that having the dinner allowed him to have a conversation with the former president rather than just yelling at each other "from across the barricades."

Why it matters

Maher's dinner with Trump sparked backlash from some of his liberal viewers, highlighting the deep political divisions in the country. Maher's defense of the meeting and his continued criticism of both Trump and the left suggests he believes engaging with political opponents, even those as polarizing as Trump, can be valuable.

The details

In an interview with CNN's Elex Michaelson, Maher said the "question should always have been, 'What did I say after I had dinner with Donald Trump?'" He said he hasn't stopped criticizing Trump or the left, and that having the dinner allowed him to have a more direct conversation with the former president, who sometimes texts him "yelling" at him.

  • Maher had the dinner with Trump in April 2025.
  • The interview with Michaelson was posted on Saturday, February 16, 2026.

The players

Bill Maher

A comedian who hosts a political talk show and had dinner with former President Donald Trump in 2025.

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States, who had dinner with comedian Bill Maher in 2025.

Elex Michaelson

A CNN host who interviewed Bill Maher about his dinner with Donald Trump.

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What they’re saying

“First of all, the people who stopped watching my show because I had dinner with him are idiots, in my view. They just are. They're just completely emotional because they're always asking the wrong question, which is like, 'How dare you have dinner with Donald Trump?'”

— Bill Maher, Comedian (CNN)

“You're still part of the lunatic left,”

— Donald Trump (CNN)

What’s next

It's unclear if Maher and Trump will have any further interactions or if this dinner will continue to be a point of discussion.

The takeaway

Maher's defense of his dinner with Trump and his continued criticism of both the former president and the left highlights the value he sees in engaging with political opponents, even those as polarizing as Trump, rather than just yelling at each other "from across the barricades."