Bill Maher is going to meet Donald Trump, and only one of them is happy about it

When questioned whether he feared backlash from liberals, Maher dismissed the concern.

UPDATED MAR 31, 2025

Maher, a Democrat, has not been shy of raking his own party and the Republicans over the coals.

Washington D.C.: President Donald Trump doesn't seem to be as excited about meeting Bill Maher as the 'Real Time' and 'Club Random' host is with meeting him. POTUS revealed his reservations about an upcoming meeting with the comedian, brokered by their mutual friend Kid Rock. The meeting which Maher recently compared (only half-jokingly) to Richard Nixon's 1972 meeting with Chinese premier Zhou Enlai, is set to take place at the White House.

Maher, host of HBO’s hit show 'Real Time', has been a vocal critic of Trump for years — Maher is also one of Donald Trump's most vitriolic critics.

Maher, a Democrat, has not been shy of raking his own party and the Republicans over the coals on his weekly 'Real Time' show on HBO and his podcast 'Club Random'. The comedian has come down heavily on Democrats' penchant for wokeness and has been a staunch defender of keeping men out of women's sports. Maher is also one of Donald Trump's most vitriolic critics (he once compared Trump's father to an Orangutan), and while he has softened somewhat on Republicans, Trump remains firmly in his crosshairs.

In a Truth Social post, Trump expressed mixed feelings about the encounter: "I got a call from a very good guy and friend of mine, Kid Rock, asking me whether or not it would be possible for me to meet, in the White House, with Bill Maher, a man who has been unjustifiably critical of anything or anyone Trump," he wrote. Though Trump admitted he "didn’t like the idea much," he acknowledged it could be "interesting."

His biggest issue seemed to be that Maher would publicly criticize him regardless of the meeting’s outcome. "No matter how much he likes our Favorite President, ME, he will publicly proclaim what a terrible guy I am," Trump predicted, comparing Maher’s expected reaction to Democrats’ resistance during his past congressional addresses. Still, he left room for optimism: "Who knows, though, maybe I'll be proven wrong?"

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Kid Rock (Bob Ritchie) confirmed the meeting on Glenn Beck’s show, framing it as an effort to foster unity. "I'm actually going to try and unite this country," he said, adding that despite Maher’s relentless criticism of Trump, he hoped the discussion could bridge divides.

Maher, meanwhile, addressed the planned meeting on his Club Random podcast, revealing Kid Rock proposed the idea weeks earlier. When guest Andrew Schultz questioned whether he feared backlash from liberals, Maher dismissed the concern. "There will be lots of people on the left who will be like, 'How dare you talk to this man,'" he said. "F**k you, I’m not playing this game... Not talking to you? You lost the election."

Their contentious history adds another layer to the encounter. Maher has long mocked Trump, including a 2013 lawsuit over a joke comparing Trump’s father to an orangutan. Recently, he clashed with Trump supporter Batya Ungar-Sargon on his show, demanding she admit Trump’s second term was failing—a challenge she rejected.

Either way, as Trump vowed, "You will be the first to know."