Trump Slams Bill Maher, Calls White House Dinner 'A Total Waste of Time'
President Donald Trump launched a blistering attack on comedian and talk‑show host Bill Maher in a lengthy social‑media post on Saturday morning ET, calling their April White House dinner a "total waste of time" and labeling Maher a "highly overrated LIGHTWEIGHT. " The post amplifies a public spat that reignited after the host mocked one of the president's recent quips about China and Canadian hockey.
What the president wrote
In the post, Trump recounted the Oval Office meeting, describing Maher as "extremely nervous" and saying the host asked for a "Vodka Tonic" to soothe his nerves. The president said their dinner was quick and that Maher initially treated the meeting respectfully on his first broadcast after the visit. But Trump said he later found some of the host's comments objectionable and called him a "jerk, " claiming the encounter had been a waste of his time.
The joke that set it off
The flareup followed the host's mockery of a remark the president made about a hypothetical trade outcome with China, in which he joked that China would "terminate ALL Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup. " Trump said the host "went on and on about the Hockey statement, like 'What kind of a person would say such a foolish thing, ' as though I were being serious when I said it. " The president framed the reaction as disproportionate and used it to attack the host's credibility and ratings.
Revisiting the Oval Office meeting
The two met in April after the dinner was arranged by a mutual acquaintance. Trump portrayed the encounter as memorable but ultimately unrewarding for him. The host, in turn, offered a softer read on the meeting, describing the president as more measured and self‑aware in private than he can appear publicly, while also stressing that he would remain critical of many administration policies. That earlier assessment did not prevent the president from later blasting the host by name.
The personal barbs and political framing
Trump's post mixed mockery and policy jabs. He compared the host unfavorably to liberal late‑night personalities, called him "slightly more talented" but still overrated, and told Republicans not to use the host as proof that the left was defecting. He also invoked the phrase "Trump Derangement Syndrome" to explain the host's criticism and emphasized his preference for "MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN" over social engagements he deemed unproductive.
Immediate fallout and next steps
The exchange underscores how light‑hearted comments on national television can quickly escalate into public feuds in the current political environment. A representative for the host had not immediately provided a response to media inquiries. For now, the dispute appears likely to play out in social‑media posts, onstage quips, and further television commentary rather than formal policy debate, keeping the back‑and‑forth in the realm of spectacle rather than governance.
As the president and media figures continue to spar, the episode is another example of how personal encounters between political leaders and entertainers can rapidly turn into headline fodder — and how a single joke about something as niche as hockey can touch off a broader media confrontation.
