It’s not every day that Bill Maher, a man who has made a career out of mocking conservatives, gives credit where it’s due — especially to President Donald J. Trump. But on his latest Club Random podcast, Maher did exactly that, applauding Trump’s no-nonsense approach to Middle East diplomacy and calling out decades of failed “even-steven” politics from past presidents.
Maher, who has never been shy about his skepticism toward both political parties, praised Trump for pulling off what the so-called foreign policy “experts” swore was impossible: a peace deal between Israel and Hamas that not only ended hostilities but secured the release of all hostages taken in the brutal Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.
And Maher didn’t mince words about why Trump succeeded where others failed.
“He didn’t play the silly game that the other presidents do,” Maher said. “Like, ‘Well, we have to be even-steven. Who knows who’s right — the people who treasure life or the people who treasure death?’ And he was like, ‘Where would you live? Ramallah or Tel Aviv? You’d live in Tel Aviv.’”
That single quote captures what has always set Trump apart: clarity. No spin, no moral fog. He calls things what they are — and acts accordingly.
Maher continued, driving home the point that Trump stood unapologetically with Israel and Western values, refusing to bow to political correctness.
“So he said, ‘No, I’m with Israel. Let’s see how this works out. I’m with Western values. I think democracy is better than theocracy.’ … The Jews love him more than any president ever. And the Arabs do too. That’s quite a hat trick.”
Indeed, it is quite a hat trick. Under Trump, Arab nations like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar found common ground with Israel — something no previous administration could manage despite endless “peace summits” and handshakes for the cameras. Trump’s doctrine was simple: strength, realism, and respect.
As Maher humorously put it, “You got to give it up for that one… the Saudi Arabia — they kind of relate on a ‘You like gold everything; I like gold everything.’”
Behind the jokes, though, is a serious acknowledgment: Trump managed to command respect from both sides in one of the most volatile regions on earth — not through appeasement, but through straight talk and decisive leadership.
Maher even noted how President Joe Biden, after promising to make Saudi Arabia “a pariah,” eventually caved to reality — meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2022 and even greeting him with a fist bump.
“You can’t ignore them,” Maher said. “They’re the counterweight to Shiite Iran and they are the people who have the oil. So you can’t not deal.”
Exactly. Trump understood that from day one — you can’t build peace by pretending enemies are friends or by insulting allies to look virtuous on CNN.
When Trump announced the Israel-Hamas peace deal on October 8 via Truth Social, he credited Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for helping broker the agreement. Days later, he addressed the Israeli Knesset, then flew to Egypt to sign a historic peace accord with Arab leaders — officially ending Israel’s war with Hamas.
That’s leadership the world can actually respect.
Bill Maher may not wear a MAGA hat anytime soon, but when even one of Hollywood’s sharpest liberal voices admits that Trump got it right in the Middle East, it tells you everything you need to know.
Trump didn’t just make peace — he made history. And he did it by being exactly who he’s always been: unapologetically American.
