Bill Maher fires back at Trump’s 'low ratings' jab with blunt reply: ‘Yours is 35%’

WASHINGTON, DC: The comedian Bill Maher mocked President Donald Trump after the president accused him of having low ratings and relying on a “fake laughing machine” during a fresh round of attacks.

The comedian used the latest episode of ‘Real Time With Bill Maher’ to answer Trump’s latest Truth Social post. The exchange marks another escalation in a feud that briefly cooled after the pair shared a friendly dinner last year.

Bill Maher mocks Trump’s ratings jab

Maher opened his monologue by suggesting Trump’s criticism often signals the president is frustrated.

“I can always tell when the president is in a bad mood because he starts tweeting about me,” Maher said. “I feel it’s an honor to always be in his tweets, even when they are bad – and they are always bad.”

The remark came after Trump referred to him as “Low Ratings Bill Maher” and claimed his HBO show used a “fake laughing machine”.

Maher quickly turned the attack back on the president.

“This week, he said I was ‘low ratings Bill Maher with his fake laughing machine.’ First of all, low ratings? Yours is 35%. And fake laughing machine, can we get a shot of our audience?” he said.

The show’s editors then cut to stock footage of audience members applauding, leaning into Trump’s criticism as part of the joke.

“There. That should settle that,” Maher added when the camera returned to him.

Trump-Maher ceasefire breaks down

The latest exchange is another sign that the brief thaw in their relationship has collapsed.

Maher and Trump sat down for what was described as a friendly dinner in March 2025, prompting speculation that tensions between the longtime rivals had eased.

That detente did not last.

During a March episode of ‘Real Time’, Maher pushed back after Trump suggested he suffered from “Trump Derangement Syndrome”.

“Someone has to help Donald Trump understand that I don’t suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome. He suffers from Bill Maher Derangement Syndrome,” Maher said.

He also acknowledged that the relationship had returned to familiar territory.

“I will not consider the dinner ‘a waste of time,’ even as I now see we’re back to name calling and that I have some new ones like, ‘highly overrated lightweight’ to add to the list you signed,” Maher added.

Bill Maher brings up the feud with Mike Pence

Maher continued referencing the fallout later in the program while speaking with former Vice President Mike Pence.

The comedian joked that both men understand how difficult it can be to remain on good terms with Trump.

Pence did not directly criticize the president, but he noted that Maher has spent more time with Trump recently than he has.

The exchange underscored how the comedian’s short-lived truce with Trump has given way to renewed public sparring, with neither side showing signs of backing down as the war of words continues.