Overview

• Kid Rock arranged the April White House dinner where Maher sat down with President Trump alongside UFC CEO Dana White and other figures.
• Maher said Trump was gracious and measured in private and insisted he never softened his public criticism after the meeting.
• Liberal critics, including Larry David in a New York Times satire, condemned Maher’s decision as normalizing the president.
• On his June 15 Club Random podcast, Maher challenged Penn for dining with dictators but declining a Trump invitation.
• Sean Penn defended his stance by saying he doubted his ability to influence Trump and cited positive outcomes from his meetings with past controversial leaders.