Bill Maher used his HBO monologue on Friday to taunt President Trump over his approval ratings, saying he can “always tell” when the president is in a bad mood because Trump starts attacking him on social media.
Quick Facts
- Trump’s approval rating stands at 35 percent, according to recent polling
- Trump called Maher “Low Ratings Bill Maher with his Fake ‘Laughing Machine'” in a Truth Social post
- Maher pointed to a heated phone call between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as evidence of Trump’s sour mood
- Four House Republicans broke ranks with Trump this week on a vote constraining his war powers in Iran
“I can always tell when the President is in a bad mood, because he starts tweeting about me,” Maher said during the opening monologue of his HBO late-night show. “I feel it’s an honor always to be in his tweets, even when they’re bad, and they’re always bad.”
Trump had targeted Maher earlier in the week on Truth Social, touting his recent victories in GOP primaries and claiming he would soon tackle “three more limping Late Night Talk Show Hosts, including Low Ratings Bill Maher and his Fake ‘Laughing Machine.”
Bill Maher taunts Trump over approval ratings: ‘I know he’s in a foul mood’
CBS series cancellations 2026 include Watson, DMV, and The Neighborhood
Maher fired back with a direct comparison of the two men’s public standing. “First of all, low ratings? Yours is 35 percent,” the comedian quipped, before asking for a shot of the audience—which turned out to be stock footage of cartoons and people applauding and laughing.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released in late May found that less than one in three Americans approved of Trump’s job performance, with growing dissatisfaction among Republicans over the administration’s economic policies amid the ongoing war with Iran.
Maher also cited Trump’s recent frustrations as proof the president is struggling. He pointed to a heated phone call between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the Israeli military’s bombing campaign in Lebanon, a key tension point in ceasefire negotiations with Iran. Trump later confirmed his frustration, telling the New York Post he had called Netanyahu “f—ing crazy” and was “a little bit perturbed” with the fighting.
The comedian also referenced Republican defections on Capitol Hill, noting that “Trump keeps pissing off people so badly, even the Republicans are standing up to him now”—a possible reference to four House Republicans who voted with Democrats this week on a resolution to constrain Trump’s war powers.
Sources
- The Hill — Full reporting on Maher’s monologue comments, Trump’s Truth Social attack, and polling data
- Reuters/Ipsos — Approval rating poll showing less than one-third of Americans approved of Trump
