Trump reveals 'absolutely pathetic' first words he says Bill Maher uttered at fabled White House visit

By JAMES GORDON, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 06:06, 3 May 2026 | Updated: 06:29, 3 May 2026 President Donald Trump has reignited his feud with Bill Maher - this time revealing what he claims were the late-night host's 'absolutely pathetic' first words upon entering the Oval Office during their much-scrutinized White House dinner. In a blistering Truth Social post on Saturday night, Trump zeroed in on the moment Maher walked into the room. 'He was nervous, scared, and the first words he uttered as he entered the Oval Office were, 'Can I have a drink?' It was very endearing but, at the same time, absolutely pathetic.' The extraordinary swipe adds a new layer to Trump's long-running effort to portray Maher as weak behind closed doors despite the comedian's on-air persona as one of the president's most persistent critics. Trump didn't stop there. He unleashed a broader tirade against conservative media outlets, accusing them of elevating Maher's relevance within Republican circles.  'I hate seeing Fox, and other Conservative Outlets, constantly making Low Rated Bill Maher 'relevant',' Trump wrote, before issuing a blunt directive: 'DON'T USE BILL MAHER ANY LONGER AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF YOU!' The two men famously met for dinner at the White House last year - an encounter arranged by musician Kid Rock that drew backlash from Maher's liberal audience at the time. In earlier remarks about that meeting, Trump had already claimed the host appeared 'extremely nervous' and lacking confidence, saying Maher quickly asked for a 'Vodka Tonic' upon arrival. Bill Maher was mocked by Trump, who claimed the host appeared 'nervous' and asked for a drink upon entering the Oval Office Donald Trump attempted to portray Maher as weak off-camera despite his tough on-air persona In a Truth Social post, Trump blasted conservative media for platforming Maher, calling him 'low rated' and urging conservative outlets to stop using him as a voice Maher, for his part, has publicly defended the dinner, arguing the focus should be on what was said afterward rather than the decision to attend.  In a CNN International interview earlier this year, he said: 'They're always asking the wrong question, which is: How dare you have dinner with Donald Trump. The question should always have been what did I say after I had dinner with Donald Trump.' Trump's latest broadside came just a day after Maher hosted Gavin Newsom on Real Time, where the California governor sparred with the comedian over the state's economic challenges and defended his record. Trump seized on the appearance, claiming Newsom dominated the exchange while Maher faltered. 'Bill Maher was defenseless, and totally deficient,' Trump wrote, accusing the host of either lacking knowledge or 'chok[ing]' during the discussion. The president also used the moment to launch into a familiar critique of California, pointing to homelessness, high costs of living and the state's long-delayed high-speed rail project as evidence of what he described as decline. His post even revived personal insults toward Newsom, mocking the governor's intelligence and leadership while disputing claims about California's economic performance. The renewed attack underscores how the Maher-Trump feud - stretching back more than a decade - continues to flare up with unpredictably. Bill Maher took Gavin Newsom to task for attempting to imitate Donald Trump in a tense exchange between the HBO host and the California governor Maher seemed shocked by Newsom's willingness to ape Trump's style Bill Maher is pictured in April at a dinner table in the White House with President Donald Trump, Kid Rock and UFC owner Dana White The pair first clashed publicly in 2013, when Maher joked he would donate $5 million to charity if Trump proved he was not 'the son of an orangutan,' prompting Trump to file, and later drop, a lawsuit. Since then, Maher has remained a frequent critic of Trump's presidency on HBO, while Trump has repeatedly dismissed the comedian as a 'lightweight' with low ratings. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.