Bill Maher says Trump 'yells' at him for 'being part of lunatic left' following White House dinner

Bill Maher said Donald Trump texts and 'yells' at him, arguing the president operates through personal relationships
PUBLISHED FEB 15, 2026
Bill Maher said Donald Trump texts and 'yells' at him privately after their White House dinner, calling it a 'personal relationship' (Bill Maher/Facebook, Getty Images)
Bill Maher said Donald Trump texts and 'yells' at him privately after their White House dinner, calling it a 'personal relationship' (Bill Maher/Facebook, Getty Images)


WASHINGTON, DC: Comedian Bill Maher revealed that Donald Trump frequently texts him following their White House dinner last year. During an interview, Maher said Trump "yells" at him for being part of the “lunatic left” in private texts. He also said that it is more like a “personal relationship.”

Maher shared the story in an interview with Elex Michaelson on Saturday, February 14. Maher also said that those who stopped watching his show after the Trump dinner incident are “stupid.”

Bill Maher at the WME Oscar Nominees Toast at Chateau Marmont on February 28, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/WME via Getty Images)
Bill Maher at the WME Oscar Nominees Toast at Chateau Marmont on February 28, 2025 in Los Angeles, California (Eric Charbonneau/WME via Getty Images)

Just hours after their exchanges made headlines, the president nearly called Maher a “highly overrated LIGHTWEIGHT.” He shared a long post on Truth Social, sharply criticizing the HBO “Real Time” host for “devolving into the same old story - Very boring, ANTI TRUMP,”

Bill Maher reveals Trump’s private texts

Bill Maher, during the interview, said that after their White House dinner, Trump often texts him and sometimes yells. Last year, liberals were upset when Maher said Trump is “very different” in person.

“Don’t you get it. He operates everything out of a personal relationship. You have to have a personal relationship,” Maher said. “Trust me, he’s not upstairs reading the briefing books.”

Maher said his three-hour dinner with Trump last March and the president’s friendly meeting with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) show how he really works. “You hear from him sometimes, afterwards, right? Does he text you?” Michaelson asked. “Yes! Yelling at me!” Maher replied.

Michaelson laughed and asked, “What does he say?” “You’re still part of the lunatic left,” Maher said. “He watches, he gets it, that I didn’t change... It’s just better. Because then I can say something back, and it becomes a conversation.”  

Trump calls Bill Maher 'waste of time'

Ahead of Bill Maher’s interview release, Trump criticized the comedian, recalling their White House dinner last year. Trump accused Maher of “devolving into the same old story - Very boring, ANTI TRUMP."



Looking back at the dinner, Trump said Maher had asked to meet him and that he was “much different than I thought he would be” when he entered the Oval Office. “He was extremely nervous, had ZERO confidence in himself and, to soothe his nerves, immediately, within seconds, asked for a ‘Vodka Tonic,’” the president wrote.

“He said to me, ‘I’ve never felt like this before, I’m actually scared.’ In one respect, it was somewhat endearing! Anyway, we had a great dinner, it was quick, easy, and he seemed to be a nice guy and, for his first show after our dinner, he was very respectful about our meeting."

"But with everything I have done in bringing our Country back from ‘OBLIVION,’ why wouldn’t he be?” POTUS ended the post by saying, "In any event, it was a total waste of time for me to have this jerk at the White House."

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