Bill Maher responded during his Friday “Real Time” monologue after Donald Trump accused him of “low ratings” and a “fake laughing machine” on Truth Social, joking that he can tell when Trump is in a bad mood because the president keeps tweeting about him.
Bill Maher didn’t wait long to answer Donald Trump’s latest jab.
During Friday’s monologue for “Real Time With Bill Maher. ” the comedian took aim at Trump’s Truth Social post. where the president targeted both Maher and former “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert. Trump’s message went further—calling Maher “Low Ratings Bill Maher” and describing him as having a “fake laughing machine.”.
Maher replied with a bit of pointed humor. “I can always tell when the president is in a bad mood because he starts tweeting about me,” he said. “I feel it’s an honor to always be in his tweets, even when they are bad – and they are always bad.”
Then he turned to the numbers and the insinuation. “This week, he said I was ‘low ratings Bill Maher with his fake laughing machine.’ First of all, low ratings? Yours is 35%. And fake laughing machine, can we get a shot of our audience?”
At that moment, “Real Time” editors cut to stock footage of audience members clapping, clearly leaning into Trump’s insult rather than letting it land as a personal attack. “There. That should settle that,” Maher added when the cameras returned to him.
Trump also posted the accusation on social media. “Trump ‘truthed’ at me again. He called me ‘Low Ratings Bill Maher and his Fake Laughing Machine.’ Speaking of low ratings, yours is 35%,” Maher wrote in a June 6, 2026 tweet that included Trump’s charge.
Their back-and-forth has been anything but smooth over the years. Even after the two sat down for a friendly dinner in March 2025, the tension didn’t stay quiet for long. A year later, they were back to trading blows.
During a March broadcast of “Real Time. ” Maher famously went on the attack after Trump suggested Maher had “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” “Someone has to help Donald Trump understand that I don’t suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome. He suffers from Bill Maher Derangement Syndrome,” Maher said at the time. “I will not consider the dinner ‘a waste of time. ’ even as I now see we’re back to name calling and that I have some new ones like. ‘highly overrated lightweight’ to add to the list you signed.”.
On Friday, Maher returned to the fallout during the show, joking to former Vice President Mike Pence that they both know how hard it is to “stay friends” with Trump. Pence didn’t outright condemn the president, but he did note that Maher has seen more of Trump than Pence has in recent years.
“Real Time With Bill Maher” airs new episodes Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.
Bill Maher Donald Trump Real Time With Bill Maher Truth Social Stephen Colbert Mike Pence HBO comedy monologue fake laughing machine low ratings
Why is Maher always beefing on TV? Like dude just do your job.
I don’t even get the “fake laughing machine” thing, aren’t those like… studio laughs? It sounds more like Trump is just mad people don’t like him. Also 35%?? where are they pulling that from.
Wait so Maher says the audience is real but then they cut to stock footage?? That kinda proves the point either way lol. Like if you gotta show clap clips, maybe people don’t actually laugh.
Trump tweets about him = low ratings, okay. But I’m not gonna lie, Maher saying “fake laughing machine” while talking about the numbers is kinda hypocritical. Also the whole 35% thing sounds made up like when they say approval ratings in headlines. And didn’t they have that dinner like a year ago? So much for grown adults, it’s just name calling again.