Donald Trump has turned a disagreement with Bill Maher into a record-breaking online tirade. He has devoted an unusually long Truth Social post to the comedian. The president also used the sprawling message to revisit their recent dinner and criticize Maher’s television commentary.
Donald Trump’s October 25 comments follow Maher’s Friday Real Time broadcast
Donald Trump published the 1,323-word message on Truth Social after watching Bill Maher’s latest episode of HBO’s Real Time. The broadcast marked Maher’s first show since meeting Trump at the White House on Oct. 15. The two appeared to part on friendly terms after dinner. Trump called the gathering “great” the following day and suggested that Maher ”liked him more” than the public realized. His latest post says otherwise, opening with an all-caps insult and eventually telling Maher, “Don’t call anymore (via CNN).”
Trump took issue with Maher’s description of their dinner, disputing the comedian’s estimate that it lasted four hours. The president said the gathering lasted “two hours, maybe less,” adding that he considered it a “waste of time.”
He also attacked Maher’s business partner, Chuck LaBella, and HBO, while suggesting that Republicans should stop providing material or appearances for Maher’s program. Trump further complained about the audience’s response to the comedian, questioning whether a “Laughter Machine” helped generate the reaction.
Maher’s criticism of Trump’s approval ratings also drew the president’s attention. Trump claimed CNN had reported 98% to 99% Republican support for him. However, CNN’s latest poll, released the previous week, put his approval among Republicans at 74%.
Trump’s numbers may have come from a different survey focused specifically on people who identify as MAGA Republicans, a slice of the party that cannot speak for its entire voter base.
Factbase found that Trump’s post about Maher smashed his own social media record, topping every entry he had published since 2011. Clocking in at 1,323 words, the lengthy rant nearly doubled his previous high, which was a 723-word post from May that jumped between multiple political feuds.
