President Trump sat down Thursday for a four-hour dinner at the White House with Real Time host Bill Maher, sports commentator Stephen A. Smith and musician Kid Rock, a meeting Trump described Friday as he left for a campaign trip to Georgia.
“I think they had a good time. We talked about everything, it lasted a long time,” Trump told reporters. “Even though they have to sort of put on a certain little facade for their people, they like Trump, and I actually like them. We had a great time.”
Trump said the group also toured the new White House ballroom under construction. “We even took a little tour of the ballroom. We went inside the ballroom with beams that are being put up over our heads,” he said, adding that the dinner itself was “very informative” with “smart people.” Of Maher specifically, Trump said, “He likes me a lot more than people understand, and I actually like him.”
Kid Rock and Maher have dined with Trump before. For Smith, it was reportedly his first visit of this kind.
Four Hours, No Backing Down
Smith called the evening a “very substantive” one that ran far longer than expected. “We were there for over four hours in the White House. And Donald Trump did not run from any questions. He answered every single question. He was very, very defiant with any criticism that came in his direction when he disagreed,” Smith said. He added that despite sharp disagreements, “it was a pleasant meeting. It was respectful.”
Smith credited Trump’s willingness to keep engaging as the reason the dinner stretched on so long. “He wouldn’t let us leave. And we were bringing up stuff, trying to pummel him with it. He wouldn’t bend,” Smith said. “He deserves to be recognized for his hospitality and his unwillingness to run from any single issue we brought up that he disagreed with.”
Common Ground on Socialism
Kid Rock said the four men found at least one point of unanimous agreement during a conversation that ranged from Iran to the funding of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, a topic Smith raised. “Socialism and communism has no place to have a foothold in our government,” Kid Rock said, calling the exchange “epic.”
A photo released afterward showed Kid Rock, Maher and Smith waiting outside the Oval Office before dinner. Kid Rock said drinks were part of the evening. “So Bill’s like, I got cocktails. Yes, there was drinking involved. First of all, I had to leave early at 11 p.m. We had dinner, we were hanging out in the office,” he said. “I’m on like beer 7 and I’m having a blast. Trust me, this is probably, this is the first time I’ve ever left a party early.” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed Trump did not drink.
Maher is expected to discuss the dinner further on an upcoming episode of Real Time.
