Bill Maher Brands Donald Trump a 'Crazy Person' While Insisting the President Is 'More Self-Aware' in Private
Bill Maher defended his controversial White House dinner with Donald Trump during a candid NPR interview.
July 18 2026, Published 5:50 p.m. ET
Bill Maher doubled down on his controversial White House dinner with President Donald Trump, insisting the commander in chief is far different behind closed doors than he appears in public, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
While the comedian called Trump a "crazy person" and "full of s---," he argued the president is also far more self-aware in private than many of his critics believe.
Bill Maher Stands by His White House Assessment
The comedian insisted Donald Trump is 'much more self-aware' in private than he appears in public.
During an appearance on NPR's Newsmakers, host Steve Inskeep asked Maher whether another year of Trump's presidency had changed his opinion following their widely discussed White House dinner. Maher said it had not.
"He's so much more self-aware than he lets on in public," he said. "Absolutely so much more self-aware, not belligerent. And by the way, everybody who meets him says the same thing."
'Crazy Person'
Bill Maher called the president a 'crazy person' who often blurts out whatever is on his mind.
When Inskeep questioned why Trump would choose to project a more chaotic public image, Maher suggested the president often speaks without a filter.
"Well, he is a crazy person in the extent that he definitely has a form of Tourette syndrome. He just blurts out whatever is on his mind often," Maher said. "It's funny, he's both, at the same time, the most full of s--- person and also the most honest."
Maher pointed to a recent interview in which Trump bluntly called a journalist "a terrible person," arguing the president routinely says aloud what most people would only think.
"There is something different about the mind that does that," Maher said. "He just speaks his interior monologue, which is just, you know, that is a certain type of mental disorder. But… It seems to be come out when he feels in any way attacked, which is like outside of his comfort zone."
Bill Maher Fires Back at Critics
The HBO host compared the White House meeting to Richard Nixon's historic outreach to China.
Maher also addressed the backlash he received after agreeing to meet with Trump, saying critics objected to the dinner out of emotion rather than reason.
"The people who attack me have no argument. They just have a feeling," he said. "Their feeling is, 'I never want to come in second in an I hate Donald Trump the most contest.'"
The HBO host compared the meeting to President Richard Nixon's diplomatic opening with China, arguing that speaking with political opponents is more productive than refusing to engage.
"It was sort of a Nixon-to-China thing," Maher said. "Let's just talk to each other instead of hurling insults."
Why Bill Maher Doesn't Regret the Dinner
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Bill Maher dismissed critics who accused him of legitimizing Donald Trump by accepting the dinner invitation.
Although Maher has continued criticizing Trump's second administration, he insisted the White House visit never softened his views.
"...I never once changed my tune. When I got back to work, I didn’t ever said I would," he said.
Maher argued that talking directly to Trump can still be worthwhile because the president is more receptive to personal conversations than many assume.
"He does look you in the eye and listen, and he does change his mind sometimes because he has no fixed beliefs," Maher said. "They need more people like this, me talking to them, not less."
