English
Bill Maher’s recent interview with former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has drawn criticism for its notably soft tone, with the HBO host offering little pushback and instead directing compliments toward both Leavitt and President Donald Trump.
The interview aired Friday night on Maher’s long-running HBO program Real Time. It came shortly after Maher attended a four-hour White House dinner with Trump, Kid Rock, and sports commentator Stephen A. Smith. Trump later told reporters that Maher’s on-air criticism of him is largely performative, suggesting Maher “likes me a lot more than people understand.”
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Maher addressed the dinner directly during his opening monologue. “Yeah, I did it again, bitches,” he told his audience. “You know what? Fuck you. I like these dinners.”
A Curious Pairing on Real Time
Leavitt’s appearance on Real Time raised eyebrows given Maher’s previous attacks on her. Earlier this year, Maher publicly mocked Leavitt after she defended Trump calling Bloomberg News reporter Catherine Lucey “piggy” aboard Air Force One. Leavitt had described the incident as “admirable,” saying it showed Trump being “frank, open, and honest.” Maher responded at the time by sarcastically telling her, “Well, in that case: Shut up, bitch.”
Despite that history, Maher welcomed Leavitt warmly on Friday. He largely avoided challenging her and instead poked fun at her successor, Katie Zacharia, who lasted only five days in the press secretary role.
Leavitt opened the interview by passing along a message from Trump. “The president sends his regards,” she said. “I told him I was coming on the show and he said, ‘Tell him he loved that dinner and he knows it.'” Maher responded simply, “I do like it.”
Softball Questions and Few Follow-Ups
Maher asked Leavitt what she planned to do after leaving the press secretary role. She said she stepped down to care for her two young children, aged two years and six months. She also announced she would begin working as a Fox News contributor on November 1.
Maher offered no follow-up on the well-documented relationship between Trump and Fox News. Instead, he made a lighthearted joke about Trump’s reported interest in turning the White House press pool into an actual swimming pool.
The host also defended Trump’s renovation priorities. “You know what? This is the one thing that people get mad at me about,” Maher said. “I don’t give a shit about any of this. I like the ballroom. America does need a ballroom. It’s the United States of America.”
Furthermore, Maher asked Leavitt about her reputation for being “sarcastic” but pressed her on nothing of substance. When she claimed Trump was “far more sane than the last president,” whom she called “a mental patient,” Maher replied only that Trump was “far more energetic.”
Criticism Over Lack of Journalistic Challenge
The interview reinforced a long-standing criticism of Maher’s approach to conservative guests. He consistently avoids confrontational follow-up questions and appears more focused on maintaining access and good relations than on holding guests accountable.
Maher is not a journalist, and he has never claimed to be one. However, his willingness to deliver compliments to both Leavitt and Trump while asking little of substance drew fresh scrutiny from observers who expected more from a host with his platform and history of political commentary.
The episode highlighted the growing warmth between Maher and the Trump administration, a dynamic that has become increasingly difficult to ignore since his White House dinner appearance earlier this month.
