USAupdated 1h ago3 min read
Archive photo · 25 October 2024Donald Trump Attacks Bill Maher With 1,323-Word Truth Social Post After Real Time
5 Western Mainstream2 Western Alternative1 Asian1 OtherPhoto: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Cropped for layout
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Trump posted a 1,300+ word Truth Social tirade targeting Bill Maher. Trump called Maher a 'complete and total loser' after the White House dinner.
9 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Trump Says Norwegian Immigrants Not Welcome After Nobel Peace Prize Snub In Oslo →
Truth Social feud
President Donald Trump posted a 1,323-word Truth Social diatribe attacking Bill Maher after Maher’s appearance on HBO’s Real Time, with Trump writing “Let’s talk about this COMPLETE AND TOTAL LOSER, Bill Maher.”
Trump said the dinner with Maher at the White House did not last four hours, writing “It didn’t last four hours, it lasted two hours, maybe less, and everybody was happy. We have the timestamps.”
Maher had told Real Time, “I’m the bad guy because I go and say face-to-face to the man the things you write in articles that he’ll never read,” and he added, “You know what? Fuck you. I like these dinners.”
Trump also disputed Maher’s account of the dinner’s length and argued that he “learned nothing, and felt it was a waste of time,” while CNN’s analysis cited Trump’s post as his longest-ever social media entry.
Trump’s post followed the October 15 White House dinner that included Stephen A. Smith and Kid Rock, and it came after Maher’s Friday monologue referenced Trump’s low approval numbers.
Leavitt, timestamps, and claims
Trump’s Sunday post challenged Maher’s description of the gathering, and Trump wrote “It didn’t last four hours, it lasted two hours, maybe less,” while CNN reported that Stephen A. Smith said the group spent “four hours and 20 minutes” with Trump.
Maher defended returning to the White House on Real Time, saying, “I’m the bad guy because I go and say face-to-face to the man the things you write in articles that he’ll never read,” and he credited Trump with staying composed during their disagreements.
Trump also targeted Karoline Leavitt’s appearance, praising her on Real Time while complaining she had to contend with “Lie after Lie,” and Leavitt told Maher, “That was a tough monologue,” adding, “But the president sends his regards.”
Trump accused Maher of being drunk and said “Bill was drunk and had alcohol in his hand as he walked through the White House,” and he also wrote that Maher used a “Laughter Machine” to generate reactions.
CNN’s analysis said Trump’s post included “some genuine news” about considering moving the press corps from the White House workspace, with Trump writing “I am thinking about moving the Press, and putting them in a different location.”
What Trump says is next
Trump’s post said he would press Republicans to stop covering Maher, writing “I’m going to have the Republicans not cover you anymore,” and he also told Maher “Bill: Don’t call anymore.” Trump framed his dispute as a change from an earlier tone after the October 15 dinner, when he told reporters “It was a great dinner,” and he said Maher “likes me a lot more than people understand, and I actually like him.” Trump’s longest post also returned to his claim about approval ratings, writing “I have High Ratings,” and he asserted that CNN had reported “98 and 99% support within the Republican Party.”
CNN’s analysis said Trump’s post included inaccuracies and cited a poll showing Trump with 74% approval among Republicans, while Trump’s own text emphasized “an All Time Record High” for his 98 and 99% claim. Trump’s broader political stakes in the coverage centered on the midterm context referenced by outlets, with CNN’s analysis tying the Truth Social post to his relationship with Maher and to his consideration of relocating the press corps.