Bill Maher, the comedian and host of HBO's Real Time, offered an unexpected defense of President Trump's proposal to build a ballroom in the White House East Wing, telling former press secretary Karoline Leavitt that the idea has merit despite Democratic criticism.
"I don't give a s— about any of this. I like the ballroom. America does need a ballroom," Maher said during a Friday interview with Leavitt, who left her post in August. "It's the United States of America. We're having dinner in the grass. It's stupid."
The exchange came as the two discussed reports that Trump had floated replacing the press briefing room with a swimming pool, a plan he later denied but said could be moved to a "less obnoxious location." Leavitt acknowledged that Trump had "been flirting with it" and noted the briefing room once housed a pool, with tile still visible underneath.
Maher, who recently attended a White House dinner with Trump, used the interview to press Leavitt on the president's approach to Russia and Ukraine. He said he raised the issue of Starlink and called Trump's actions "unconscionable." Leavitt defended Trump, saying he listens to all voices, from staffers to his chief of staff.
The conversation also touched on Trump's potential behavior if Republicans lose the midterms. Leavitt expressed confidence, pointing to Trump's cooperation with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser as evidence he would work across the aisle.
Maher's blunt style was on display when he dismissed critics of his White House visit. "Yeah, I did it again, b—!" he said. "I go and say face-to-face to the man the things you write in articles he'll never read, but okay. You know what? F— you. I like these dinners."
The interview highlighted the ongoing tension between Trump's outreach to unlikely figures and his controversial foreign policy, a dynamic that has drawn scrutiny from both parties. As Trump's Ukraine pressure campaign fails to yield results, Maher's criticism underscores growing unease among some conservatives and independents.
Leavitt, now a Fox News contributor and adviser to MAGA Inc., defended Trump's record, arguing he is always willing to negotiate. The exchange comes amid broader questions about Trump's chaotic week, including a press secretary misstep and a diesel deal with Russia.
Maher's endorsement of the ballroom, however, was a rare moment of agreement in an otherwise combative interview. "I like the ballroom," he reiterated. "America needs a ballroom."
