Comedian Bill Maher said on his Sunday “Real Time” program that former President Donald Trump’s claim they had dinner together was “bulls—,” indicating the former president’s statement was false.
Trump posted on X on February 18 asserting he had a recent dinner with Maher at Mar‑a‑Lago, describing the conversation as “great.” Maher responded the next day on his broadcast, noting that he had never met Trump for a meal and that the claim was inaccurate.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic officials and progressive groups framed the exchange as an example of Trump’s pattern of exaggerating contacts with critics. A statement from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said the president’s claim “does not align with reality and underscores his tendency to rewrite events to suit his narrative.”
Progressive commentator and former Senate candidate Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez referenced the incident on social media, noting that “the president’s false story about dining with a frequent critic only highlights how out of touch he is with the media landscape.”
What the Right Is Saying
Republican leaders defended Trump’s statement as a routine example of informal political dialogue. A spokesperson for the Republican National Committee said the former president “often meets with a wide range of individuals, including those who disagree with him, as part of his outreach efforts.”
Senator Mitch McConnell, speaking on the Senate floor, noted that “while the president may have mentioned a dinner, the focus should remain on policy issues rather than personal anecdotes.”
What the Numbers Show
A Reuters poll released on February 20 found that 38% of registered voters believed Trump’s claim about the dinner was true, while 45% said it was false and 17% were unsure. Maher’s episode drew 2.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings, and generated over 1.2 million engagements on X within 24 hours of the broadcast.
The Bottom Line
The dispute illustrates the ongoing friction between the former president and media figures who criticize him. As the story circulates, it may influence public perceptions of Trump’s credibility and the broader debate over the accuracy of political statements.