Bill Maher Calls Audience 'Liars' After They Claim They'll Visit Barack Obama's $850M Presidential Center
Bill Maher questioned why the Obama Presidential Center carries an estimated $850 million price tag.
June 21 2026, Published 4:40 p.m. ET
Comedian Bill Maher turned on his own audience after they applauded at the suggestion that they would visit former President Barack Obama's controversial $850 million presidential center, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The HBO host mocked the crowd as "liars" during a heated exchange with Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna over the cost and purpose of the sprawling Chicago project.
Maher Questions Price Tag
The comedian compared the sprawling project to 'something aliens built in Dubai.'
The clash unfolded during June 19th's episode of Real Time with Bill Maher after the host asked guests Rep. Ro Khanna and Politico columnist Jonathan Martin to explain the Obama Presidential Center to him.
"But you guys were both at the Obama Library. Do we have a picture of the Obama library?" Maher said. "Because it looks like something aliens built in Dubai. I like it. Why do it cost $850 million? I don't understand why progressives like this. Couldn't that money be better spent on something else? Who's going to go to this?"
Maher then questioned the value of presidential libraries altogether.
"Why does anyone need a presidential library?" he asked. "These monuments to somebody's ego out of office."
Maher argued presidential libraries are often little more than monuments to former presidents' egos.
Audience Gets Called Out
The studio audience applauded when asked whether they planned to visit the Obama Presidential Center.
The comedian then turned his attention to the studio audience and asked whether anyone actually planned to visit the center.
"Are you, anybody here in this audience, planning to go to the Obama presidential library?" Maher asked.
The crowd responded with loud applause.
"There you go," Martin joked.
Maher wasn't buying it. "Really? What a bunch of f*cking liars you are! You're not going to the Obama library!" he fired back.
Khanna Defends Obama Center
Rep. Ro Khanna defended the center as a tribute to the nation's first Black president.
Khanna argued the project serves a larger purpose than simply honoring a former president.
"At a time that Elon Musk is talking about sending people to Mars, you're telling me that spending up to a billion dollars, one billion dollars on commemorating the first and only African American who's ever been president isn't worth it?" the California Democrat asked.
Maher immediately pushed back.
"First of all, we don't need that building to do that. That's in our hearts and minds. That already happened," he replied.
Khanna countered that the center would help inspire future generations and preserve Obama's story.
"The story, the building tells that story," he said.
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'Nothing to Do With the Building'
Maher remained unconvinced, insisting Obama's legacy doesn't depend on an $850 million building.
The exchange continued as Khanna described how Obama's rise changed perceptions about what was possible in American politics.
"You know when I was in law school, when I interned, they said to me, Ro, you're Indian American. You're of Hindu faith. Go to the Capitol because you'll never get elected to anything," Khanna recalled.
"And then Barack Obama happened, and he changed the direction of this nation for millions of people," he added.
Maher remained unconvinced.
"Again. Nothing to do with the building, but thank you," he responded.
