“Real Time” host Bill Maher suggested Friday that many supporters of President Donald Trump are quietly disillusioned with his first 100 days in office — even if they refuse to admit it publicly.
During his panel discussion, Maher opened by acknowledging that, for liberals, Trump’s early presidency has been even worse than they feared. But he quickly shifted focus to Trump’s base.
“I think for liberals, it’s worse than they even thought when they projected out,” Maher said. “But let’s talk about what it is for the other side — for the MAGA people — because I think they’re disappointed, even though they may not say it out loud.”
Maher argued that many Trump voters believed they were voting for a drastic break from a system they saw as corrupt and broken — a “wrecking ball” approach to everything from trade to democracy itself.
“Just break everything,” Maher paraphrased their thinking. “‘F— the judges, f— the democracy, f— the trading partners. We have nothing to lose.’ And now they’re finding out — actually, they had plenty to lose.”
Signs of Cracks Beneath the Surface
Maher pointed to reports suggesting Trump was seeking an “off-ramp” from his aggressive tariff policies, interpreting it as a positive sign that the president might actually be capable of pivoting under pressure.
“It’s good news that he can actually change his mind on things,” Maher said. “His superpower is that his followers, even when he changes on a dime, will just go right with him. Ever watch geese fly? One turns, then the others turn.”
Citing meetings between Trump and executives from major retailers like Target, Walmart, and Home Depot — who warned him of looming price hikes and empty shelves due to the trade war — Maher suggested the mounting pressure was finally moving the needle.
“Somebody talked to him is all I’m saying, and it did seem to move the needle,” Maher noted.
The Billionaire Influence
New York Times columnist Bret Stephens chimed in sarcastically:
“Yeah, the checks and balances of his billionaire friends.”
Maher agreed but emphasized the significance:
“His other billionaire friend Ken Griffin said the U.S. is 20% poorer than it was a month ago. It could take a lifetime to repair the damage that’s been done.”
Pollster Frank Luntz also warned that Trump might only have a few more months before the mood among voters begins to sour dramatically.
“On July 4th, picnics will happen. I think he has another three months before voters turn on him,” Maher quoted Luntz.
When Maher asked for his thoughts, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., replied that the real danger is Trump’s unpredictability.
“The problem is Trump listens to whoever last talks to him,” Schiff said, adding that even if Trump reverses course, the damage caused by the instability of his economic policies may already be irreversible.
President Trump officially reached the 100-day milestone on April 30.