What To Know
- Bill Maher criticized Democrats for being reluctant to embrace patriotism during America’s 250th birthday celebrations.
- He urged them to separate their feelings about President Donald Trump from their appreciation for the country.
- Maher also mocked Kamala Harris, saying Democrats only emphasize patriotism during election season.
Real Time host Bill Maher tore into Democrats on Friday (June 19) for being scared to embrace patriotism amid America’s 250 birthday celebrations.
During his “new rule” segment on Friday’s show, Maher said Democrats need to get over their issues with President Donald Trump and instead celebrate the country’s achievements. “This is about America. [Trump] isn’t America. He’s a temporary caretaker of America, America’s employee,” the late-night host said.
“And the message should be that America isn’t actually his and that no one’s side gets to own being psyched about the country,” Maher continued. “So I’m not down with this attitude of, ‘well, we’re having a party, but if Trump’s going, I’m not.’ That’s so high school it should be in the Epstein files.”
Maher went on to say that “despite all of Trump’s nonsense, America is still here, still incredibly prosperous by world standards, still the place people want to get to, still free enough to let me put the word ‘nonsense’ next to the president’s name.”
The comedian noted that he still has worries about “creeping authoritarianism” and “attacks on free speech,” noting, “I have been since 2016, when I first used the term slow-moving coup.”
“But we’re 10 years on now. And while Trump, wanting to act like a king in many ways is still a story, so is the fact that he’s also been checked,” Maher added, pointing to various examples of the Supreme Court checking Trump on various issues, including his tariffs, putting his name on the Kennedy Center, and budget cuts.
“America may right now be the country Donald Trump is president of, but America is also everything that keeps Trump from being the king he wishes he were,” Maher stated. “The message that most threatens authoritarians isn’t America sucks. It’s America is ours too.”
He then turned his attention to Democrats and former Vice President Kamala Harris, saying, “Every election year, Democrats seem to remember patriotism for about an hour at their convention when they’re trying to win back swing voters. The whole message of Kamala’s speech in 2024 was ‘take back the flag.’ That’s why she talked about America like a pageant contestant.”
After showing a clip from Harris’ speech at the convention, in which she said, “the greatest privilege on Earth is the privilege and pride of being an American,” Maher quipped, “Hard to believe she lost, huh?”
“Well, you can’t take back the flag in an hour if the rest of the time you treat patriotism as something vaguely embarrassing,” he added. “It shouldn’t be!”
Real Time With Bill Maher, Fridays at 10/9c, HBO