Comedian and talk show host Bill Maher praised President Trump after a meeting at the White House in late March, describing him as “graceful and measured.”
Maher, who was critical of Trump before he began his 2016 presidential bid, shared on Friday's episode of “Real Time vs. Real Time” that he asked him to sign, citing the nearly 60 insults Trump had threw at him over the years, ranging from “dummy, chic and truly stupid man.”
The talk show host emphasized that during the March 31 meeting he did not say “Maga” and “the president's achievements were not under pressure.”
“First, he laughs. I've never seen him laugh in public, but he, including himself, is not a fake, trust me. As a comedian of 40 years, I know fake laughs when I hear it.”
A long-standing dinner between Trump and Maher was arranged by musician Kid Rock.
“I don't remember what we were talking about, but it must have been something in the 2020 election, because I know he clearly uses the word 'lost'. And I said, “Wow, I didn't expect you to hear me say it.” He wasn't mad,” Maher said of the president on Friday. “He's much more self-aware than he allows in public.”
“Look, I get it. It doesn't matter who he is in a private dinner with a comedian. It's important to know who he is on the world stage,” the comedian added. “I think this person is in a positive way. I swear to God because it was all I didn't like about him.
During the two and a half hours of meeting, Trump asked Maher about his views on the ongoing consultations with Iran with Tehran about Tehran's accelerated nuclear program.
“But because of its value, we had Iran destroy 98% of the uranium, so we thought the Obama contract was worth playing, and they were 15 years away from the bomb. And I told him, we took it away.” “He didn't get mad or call me a left-wing madman. He took it in. I thought some of the Gaza plans were being banged, but he said he supported him with the idea that Gaza could become Dubai rather than hell.”
The longtime comedian said he felt in his view that while talking to Trump, he said there wouldn't be anything likely around Obama and Clinton's former presidents.
“It symbolizes why Democrats are so unpopular these days,” Marher said.
“I went into the mine, and that's where it is. The crazy people don't live in the White House. People who play crazy people on TV live in there.
“That's my report. You can hate me, but I'm not a liar. Trump was measured with grace, and he wasn't in any other setting, I don't know. I can't answer, I can't answer.
