Trump’s approval – Bill Maher, on “Real Time” Friday, pointed to what he described as President Donald Trump’s lowest approval numbers—34%—and mocked the White House’s efforts to pivot with high-profile events, from an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight on the South Lawn to a
On Friday, Bill Maher didn’t wait long to make his point. He leaned into the numbers, then the plans built around them—arguing that even Trump’s biggest distractions aren’t moving the needle.
Maher said Trump’s approval rating is “lowest ever. ” putting it at 34% amid what he described as a pileup of pressures. including the war on Iran and gas prices. “I tell you. due to the war and the gas prices. and like nine other things. Trump’s approval rating. lowest ever. 34%. ” Maher said Friday. He added that the drop is being reflected even “underwater with white people who did not go to college.”.
To Maher, the most painful part wasn’t just the total. It was the idea that Trump is “losing the non-college-educated white people,” a group he said has been the president’s base. He drove the comparison home with a blunt punchline: “That’s like Taco Bell losing stoners.”
Maher appeared to be citing a YouGov/Economist poll published Wednesday, which he said found that only 34% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance—“the lowest figure recorded in the survey across both his terms in office.”
From there. Maher turned to the White House’s calendar of events. framing them as attempts to pull attention away from an unpopular conflict he said he previously supported. He mocked the idea of Trump leaning on spectacle. asking what he would have to do next—then punctuated the moment with a reference to a plan already set in motion.
Trump announced last year that the White House will hold an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the South Lawn on his 80th birthday on June 14. 2026. Maher contrasted the UFC spectacle with another display from last year: the administration organized a $45 million military parade in Washington. D.C. for Trump’s 79th birthday.
Maher also pointed to potential financial entanglements tied to the UFC. Earlier this year. Trump purchased somewhere between $15. 001 and $50. 000 of stock in TKO Group Holdings. the UFC parent company. according to a HuffPost review of his May 12 financial disclosure filing. Maher said it is “the latest in a series of clear conflicts of interest for the increasingly wealthy president.”.
The UFC fight is already taking shape in public view. An aerial view captured Tuesday showed construction on the arena for the White House UFC fight, with the image credited to Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press.
But Maher’s criticism didn’t stop with one event. He also returned to the administration’s summer plans for the National Mall. centered on “Great American State Fair. ” a concert series that is being curated by Freedom 250. a self-described “non-partisan organization” Trump created with an executive order to help mark America’s 250th anniversary.
“We’re having a big 250th birthday party for America concert,” Maher said Friday. “They announced the lineup: Oh. Vanilla Ice — I’m not making that up — Vanilla Ice. Milli Vanilli. Morris Day. Bret Michaels. I think this is very admirable about the president. It shows he’s concerned for the unemployed.”.
Then Maher described what happened after the lineup was announced: “And then after they announced this all-star lineup, a lot of them said, ‘No, what are you talking about? We’re not playing.’ That’s gotta hurt a lot when you can’t close the deal with Milli Vanilli.”
The setback is visible in the event’s roster. Numerous artists have backed out of the 16-day event, leaving only a few major artists officially remaining on the lineup. The “Great American State Fair” is slated to be held June 25 to July 10.
Even as the White House pushes forward with big-ticket appearances—UFC on the South Lawn for June 14. 2026. and a National Mall concert run from June 25 to July 10—Maher’s message landed on a tougher reality: attention isn’t enough. not when approval numbers are sinking and the distractions don’t seem to land.
Bill Maher Real Time Donald Trump approval rating YouGov Economist poll war on Iran gas prices UFC South Lawn June 14 2026 TKO Group Holdings stock purchase conflicts of interest Freedom 250 Great American State Fair National Mall Vanilla Ice Milli Vanilli Morris Day Bret Michaels June 25 July 10
34% sounds made up.
Maher is so dramatic lol. If people don’t like the president, they don’t like the president, but the Ufc thing?? I guess politicians love attention though.
Wait so the whole point is Trump approval is 34% because of Iran and gas prices and like… stuff. But isn’t the war on Iran kinda not even a real thing yet? I’m confused. Also Taco Bell losing stoners is the dumbest analogy.
I saw the UFC on the South Lawn headline and everyone acted like that’s the reason his approval dropped. Like it’s directly connected somehow. Maher always talks about “non-college” white people like he’s Sherlock or something, and then compares it to stoners at Taco Bell?? idk man, sounds like he’s just trying to be funny while ignoring actual policy.