Bill Maher has doubled down on his newfound fondness of President Donald Trumpafter meeting him for dinner at the White House, despite sparking outrage from liberals.
Maher, 69, a longtime Trump critic and political commentator, invited Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on his Random Club Podcast.
During the episode, which aired on Sunday, Maher unapologetically addressed his trip to the White Housethat shifted his views on the Republican president he previously bashed.
Unwilling to walk about his claims of Trump being 'gracious and measured' during their meeting, the comedian asserted he is 'not going to pretend' it's a 'bad thing' his meeting with the president eased tensions between them.
'I voted for Obama, I voted for Clinton,' Maher passionately began as Kirk intently listened.
'But the idea that I could talk to them as freely as I felt this conversation was going is emblematic, to me, of why the Democrats lose the elections.'
Maher went on to describe Trump as more approachable - more of a 'real person' - than his Democratic counterparts.
'I know it's so weird to say that about Donald Trump, who I've said a jillion times is, you know, a whiny little b***h.
Bill Maher (left) a longtime Trump critic and political commentator, invited Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk (right) on his Random Club Podcast (pictured: Maher and Kirk on the Random Club Podcast)
President Donald Trump (pictured) was praised for being approachable and easy to speak with by Maher
'But this was about getting past that and maybe seeing that if we met in person, we don't hate each other as much - and we don't - and I'm sorry, I'm not going to pretend that's a bad thing.'
The meeting that sent shockwaves through the left was organized by musician Kid Rock last month.
Kid Rock said he wanted the pair to meet to 'have a little more civility in this country and try and bring people together,' the rocker .
The dinner was attended by being Kid Rock, who also appeared in the Oval Office as Trump signed a ticket scalping executive order, the president, Maher and UFC CEO Dana White.
While reflecting on the evening, Maher spoke fondly of Trump, despite their extensive history of clashes.
'He's much more self aware than he lets on in public,' he said on his HBO Max talk show Real Time.
'Look, I get it, it doesn't matter who he is at a private dinner with a comedian. It matters who he is on the world stage.
'I'm just taking it as a positive that this person exists, because everything I've ever not liked about him was, I swear to God, absent - at least on this night.'
He also discussed how comfortable he felt speaking with the president and how he could never imagine having such a relaxed conversation with Democratic leaders he voted for in the past.
Maher (left) has admittedly spoken poorly of Trump (right) over the years (pictured: Maher and Trump at the 56th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2004)
Maher (pictured on his podcast) has been criticized by liberals for speaking positively of the Republican president
Since coming forward with his Trump review, liberal critics have called out Maher, claiming he has fallen for conservative propaganda.
Democratic strategist James Carville, for example, called his 'friend' Maher a 'supremely naïve man' on his Politics War Roompodcast.
Social media users have had strong reactions to Maher's apparent change of heart as well, with some simply not buying it.
One X user reacted to Maher's Sunday podcast comments:'This is simply the classic change of mind when on the losing side. Maher is not dumb.
'He realizes he’s losing his audience and needs to switch to - “ya know Trump ain’t so bad” stance to keep his relevance and income.'
Others, however, shared their support for Maher's honest reaction, even if it went against his previous assertions.
'When Bill Maher’s saying Trump feels more real than Democrats, you know the mask has slipped. Turns out authenticity beats identity politics every time,' someone wrote on X.
