Despite a surprisingly friendly meeting with President Donald Trump last month, comedian Bill Maher didn’t hold back in his latest critique. Writing for The Free Press, Maher torched Trump’s second-term performance. His verdict on the first 100 days? “In a word: s---show.”
Maher said he made an effort not to “pre-hate” Trump’s policies after his re-election. But after seeing the administration in action, he claims there are “probably 100 things to legitimately hate.” It’s a harsh reversal from the more measured tone he struck after meeting Trump in person.
The comedian sat down with Trump at the White House in early April. He later told his HBO audience the encounter was unexpectedly pleasant. “Gracious and measured,” Maher said of Trump, adding, “Everything I’ve ever not liked about him was, I swear to God, absent — at least on this night.”
Maher even said Trump appeared more self-aware than people realize. But any goodwill from that meeting didn’t last. His Free Press column made it clear: the policies, not the personality, are the problem.
Maher listed a slew of grievances. “Disappearing people, the inefficiency of DOGE, ignoring the Supreme Court, killing people overseas with drastic aid cuts,” he wrote. He also slammed Trump for firing his election-integrity chief, sparking a market collapse with tariffs, and fueling “third-term talk.”
The list didn’t stop there. Maher mentioned Trump “suing the media,” America’s fading global reputation, and even brought up internet influencer Andrew Tate. “I could just keep going,” he added.
Some liberals have accused Maher of going soft on Trump. His column appeared to push back hard against that idea. “It’s not reflexive Republican opposition,” he said. “On all these issues, it’s just objectively bad. And they know that, too.”
He continued the critique on HBO’s Real Time, saying Trump’s first 100 days were worse than liberals had predicted. “Even I didn’t think it would get this bad this fast,” he said during the episode. The monologue drew applause — and a few shocked laughs.
Maher has long been a critic of both political parties. But his recent back-and-forth with Trump has drawn fresh scrutiny. The comedian seems intent on proving he hasn’t changed — at least when it comes to policy.
The cordial meeting may have softened the rhetoric briefly. But for Maher, the politics are still the punchline — and the target.