Bill Maher mocked Donald Trump over the covering of his removed name from the Kennedy Center. The comedian was at the venue on Sunday, where he received the Mark Twain Prize. Trump’s name was recently removed from the Kennedy Center following a judge’s order.
Bill Maher jokes about Donald Trump’s name removal at Kennedy Center
Shortly after a judge ordered the removal of Donald Trump’s name from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a tarp appeared on the scaffolding, covering the bare marble. The move has sparked backlash against the president’s reported attempt to cover up the removal.
Bill Maher, who was at the venue on Sunday to receive the prestigious Mark Twain Prize, took aim at Trump, mocking the tarp that covers the now-empty facade where his name had previously been (via Deadline). Speaking with reporters on the red carpet, Maher said, “I think it’s hysterical.”
“I mean, as much as you could try to think of his next move, you could never do it,” Maher said. “Only he could think of that. The tarp. I just never would have gone there. To me, it just makes it better and funnier, and it’s a funny event celebrating funny.”
In December 2025, Trump added his name to the historic cultural center to read, “The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” On May 29, 2026, U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper ruled that the Center must revert to its original moniker. Although Trump’s name was removed from the building, a tarp has stayed over the scaffolding that hides the removal.
At one point, Maher revealed why he chose to accept the Mark Twain Prize at the Kennedy Center, despite several artists cancelling shows at the venue in the past, following Trump’s takeover. “He’s president. He’s a caretaker,” Maher said.
The comedian continued, “He’s an employee right now. The country endures. This endures. Comedy endures. Mark Twain forever. All my friends are forever. You really think because he was president, I was going to let all that stop here.”
