President Donald Trump attacked Fox News for covering an interview between Bill Maher and California Governor Gavin Newsom. Trump told the network they looked weak for promoting the conversation. He called Maher a moron and said he failed to hold Newsom accountable during the interview, which aired the night before.
According to Mediaite, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “Fox should stop putting this person on. He’s not representing us. You look weak, stupid, and ineffective, and I hate seeing that.” He also added, “DON’T USE BILL MAHER ANY LONGER AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF YOU! I hate hearing that ‘Bill Maher said…’, Bill Maher is a MORON, though slightly more talented than Jimmy Kimmel.”
Trump said he formed his opinion of Maher during a dinner at the White House last year. “Bill Maher is a weak and ineffective person who I got to know very well during my dinner with him at the White House. He was nervous, scared, and the first words he uttered as he entered the Oval Office were, ‘Can I have a drink?'” Trump said, calling the moment “very endearing but, at the same time, absolutely pathetic.”
Trump argued that Maher was no match for Newsom and let the governor control the entire conversation
Trump argued that Maher was completely outmatched by Newsom during the interview, even though Trump views the California governor as incompetent. He claimed Maher was simply unprepared. “Bill Maher was defenseless, and totally deficient. Either he didn’t have the knowledge, or he choked,” Trump stated.
Trump also criticized the topics covered in the interview, saying Maher started by acknowledging California’s struggles but then let Newsom take control of the conversation. He pointed to the homeless crisis in Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as the state’s high-speed rail project, which he described as billions of dollars over budget and still unfinished.
He also wrote, “If it weren’t for our Superstar EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and me, they wouldn’t have any homes being built right now!” Trump’s post came about 30 minutes after Fox News’ The Big Weekend Show aired a segment on the Maher-Newsom interview. During that segment, guest host Dr. Marc Siegel and co-host Tomi Lahren actually praised Maher for pushing back on Newsom’s record, including on the train project.
During the interview, Maher had challenged Newsom directly: “Are they gonna say ‘good’ about gas prices? Are they gonna say ‘good’ about how high the rents are? I mean there’s a whole litany, I mean the train, Gavin, you gotta get rid of the train. I say this as a friend, you gotta let the train go.” Lahren said she loved seeing Maher challenge the governor on these points.
This is not the first time Trump has gone after Newsom. Back in March 2026, Trump stated that he believes presidents should not have learning disabilities, which was seen as a reference to Newsom’s publicly known dyslexia. The comment sparked a heated public back-and-forth between the two.
Trump has also repeatedly called Newsom dumb and has posted on Truth Social that the governor is “a cognitive mess who cannot read.” Trump himself has previously boasted about acing a cognitive test multiple times, and has argued that all presidential candidates should be required to take one.
Newsom has hit back on social media. According to BBC, after Trump mistakenly referred to him as the President of the United States in a recent comment, Newsom mocked the error on social media, posting, “NO THANK YOU, WE BELIEVE IN FREE ELECTIONS!”
The California Governor has also called Trump a “brain-dead moron” in a separate post. Meanwhile, Trump has faced his own share of diplomatic friction, as seen when a world leader’s offer to help with Iran was reportedly turned down by the president with an unusual counteroffer. Jackie Rodriguez, chief executive of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, has condemned Trump’s remarks, noting that dyslexia does not affect a person’s ability to lead.
Published: May 3, 2026 08:30 am