Bill Maher Finds Common Ground With Donald Trump: 'Kernel of a Good Idea'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Comedian Bill Maher touted some common ground with President Donald Trump during his Friday evening TV show, saying the White House's targeting of Harvard University is a "kernel of a good idea."
Maher described the elite Ivy League institution as an "a**hole factory," and said he'd long been critical of the university.
Newsweek has reached out to Harvard and the White House via email for comment on Saturday morning.
Why It Matters
Maher has been a consistent Trump critic, routinely mocking the president for years on his HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher. At the same time, while the comedian continues to identify as a Democrat, he often criticizes the "woke" views of many in his political party.
He also regularly invites Republicans on his show, and in late March had dinner with Trump at the White House. After the meeting, Maher spoke favorably of the president's personal interactions with him, sparking criticism from many liberal critics.
Trump's recent actions against Harvard have drawn backlash from Democrats and other critics. However, Maher has suggested some agreement with the president on the issue.
What to Know
During his Friday evening show, Maher hosted CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Representative Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat, on his panel. During the discussion, the comedian brought up the Trump administration's actions against Harvard.
"The Harvard situation. Trump has declared full scale war on Harvard. And like so many things he does, there's a kernel of a good idea there. I mean, I've been s****ing on Harvard long before he was," Maher said.
Tapper jumped in, quipping, "Well, you went to Cornell [University], so I mean...."
"That's not why," Maher responded, with the exchange drawing laughter from the audience and the comedian. "No, it's because Harvard is an a**hole factory in a lot of ways, that produces smirking f*** faces."
He then asked Moulton, "Are you from Harvard?" To which Tapper pointed out that the Democratic congressman has "three degrees from Harvard."
"Present company accepted," Maher quickly added.
Bill Maher attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 2 in Beverly Hills, California. Inset: President Donald Trump is seen at the Memorial Amphitheatre in...
Bill Maher attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 2 in Beverly Hills, California. Inset: President Donald Trump is seen at the Memorial Amphitheatre in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on May 26. More
Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic/Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
How Trump Is Going After Harvard
The dispute between Trump and Harvard University began earlier this year when his administration accused Harvard of failing to adequately address antisemitism on its campus, citing "pro-terrorist conduct" at protests.
The administration responded by freezing more than $2 billion in federal research grants to Harvard in April and has since attempted to terminate the university's ability to enroll international students through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
The State Department is now also investigating the B-1 (business visas) and B-2 (tourist visas) associated with Harvard University, according to Fox News.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) made moves to eliminate Harvard's student visa program, saying the university had refused to comply with a request to provide behavioral records of student visa holders.
Trump, meanwhile, has demanded the names and countries of origin of all international students, saying that federal support entitled the government to such information. He wrote on Truth Social last Sunday: "We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard BILLIONS OF DOLLARS."
Harvard insists it has complied with government requests, "despite the unprecedented nature and scope of the demand."
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs stepped in and issued a preliminary injunction, which stopped the Trump administration from revoking the school's SEVP certification without first following the legally mandated procedures.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump to reporters on Wednesday: "Harvard's got to behave themselves. Harvard is treating our country with great disrespect. And all they're doing is getting in deeper and deeper and deeper...They've got to behave themselves, you know. I'm looking...out for the country...and for Harvard. I want Harvard to do well. I want Harvard to be great again, probably, because how could it be great? How could it great."
Harvard President Alan M. Garber in a statement after a court win this week: "This is a critical step to protect the rights and opportunities of our international students and scholars, who are vital to the University's mission and community. Many among us are likely to have additional concerns and questions. Important updates and guidance will continue to be provided by the Harvard International Office as they become available."
Senator John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday: "Harvard's attitude is, 'We can do what we want, and we have a constitutional right to your money.' I think they're wrong, and I think they're going to find out how wrong they are."
Fox News contributor Jessica Tarlov, a Democrat, wrote on X on Thursday in response to attacks on Harvard: "When you deport young people and cancel the visas of their friends, you become public enemy number one very quickly."
Representative Seth Moulton wrote on X on Wednesday: "Trump's sad obsession with schools he doesn't like continues. These policies will mean that we are less competitive, less credible, and less innovative in the future. Nobody wins."
What Happens Next?
The Trump administration's actions targeting Harvard continue to be litigated in the courts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
36 minutes ago
- The Hill
China blasts US for its computer chip moves and for threatening student visas
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China blasted the U.S. on Monday over moves it alleged harmed Chinese interests, including issuing AI chip export control guidelines, stopping the sale of chip design software to China, and planning to revoke Chinese student visas. 'These practices seriously violate the consensus' reached during trade discussions in Geneva last month, the Commerce Ministry said in a statement. That referred to a China-U.S. joint statement in which the United States and China agreed to slash their massive recent tariffs, restarting stalled trade between the world's two biggest economies. But last month's de-escalation in President Donald Trump's trade wars did nothing to resolve underlying differences between Beijing and Washington and Monday's statement showed how easily such agreements can lead to further turbulence. The deal lasts 90 days, creating time for U.S. and Chinese negotiators to reach a more substantive agreement. But the pause also leaves tariffs higher than before Trump started ramping them up last month. And businesses and investors must contend with uncertainty about whether the truce will last. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the U.S. agreed to drop the 145% tax Trump imposed last month to 30%. China agreed to lower its tariff rate on U.S. goods to 10% from 125%. The Commerce Ministry said China held up its end of the deal, canceling or suspending tariffs and non-tariff measures taken against the U.S. 'reciprocal tariffs' following the agreement. 'The United States has unilaterally provoked new economic and trade frictions, exacerbating the uncertainty and instability of bilateral economic and trade relations,' while China has stood by its commitments, the statement said. It also threatened unspecified retaliation, saying China will 'continue to take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.' And in response to recent comments by Trump, it said of the U.S.: 'Instead of reflecting on itself, it has turned the tables and unreasonably accused China of violating the consensus, which is seriously contrary to the facts.' Trump stirred further controversy Friday, saying he will no longer be nice with China on trade, declaring in a social media post that the country had broken an agreement with the United States. Hours later, Trump said in the Oval Office that he will speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping and 'hopefully we'll work that out,' while still insisting China had violated the agreement. 'The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,' Trump posted. 'So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!' The Trump administration also stepped up the clash with China in other ways last week, announcing that it would start revoking visas for Chinese students studying in the U.S. U.S. campuses host more than 275,000 students from China. Both countries are in a race to develop advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, with Washington seeking to curb China's access to the most advanced computer chips. China is also seeking to displace the U.S. as the leading power in the Asia-Pacific, including through gaining control over close U.S. partner and leading tech giant Taiwan.
San Francisco Chronicle
41 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Asian shares slide as Russia-Ukraine conflict, OPEC+ output plan push oil prices higher
HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares sank on Monday and oil prices jumped as trade tensions and the Russian-Ukraine conflict ratcheted up geopolitical uncertainty. Hong Kong's Hang Seng plunged more than 2% as Beijing and Washington traded harsh words over trade. U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that he will double tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50% layered on still more worries for investors. A report over the weekend that China's factory activity contracted in May, although the decline slowed from April as the country reached a deal with the U.S. to slash President Donald Trump's sky-high tariffs, further undermined market sentiment. Markets in mainland China were closed for a holiday. Oil prices rallied after OPEC+ decided on a modest increase in output beginning in July. It was the third monthly increase in a row. U.S. benchmark crude oil gained $1.60 to $62.39 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard, was up $1.41 at $64.19 per barrel. Moscow pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones just hours before a new round of direct peace talks in Istanbul and a Ukrainian drone attack destroyed more than 40 Russian planes deep in Russia's territory, Ukraine's Security Service said on Sunday. Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 2.2% to 22,778.45 as China and the U.S. accused each other of breaching their tariff agreement reached in Geneva last month. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 lost 1.6% to 37,356.97, while the Kospi in Seoul fell 0.4% to 2,686.17. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 retreated 0.2% to 8,416.00. On Friday, Wall Street closed its best month since 2023. The S&P 500 retreated less than 0.1% to end at 5,911.69 and the Dow industrials Jones Industrial Average edged 0.1% higher to 42,270.07. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.3% to 19,113.77. Gap weighed on the market even though the retailer reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company behind Banana Republic and Old Navy fell 20.2% after saying tariffs on imports from China and other countries could add up to $300 million to its costs this fiscal year. It has strategies set to mitigate up to half of that before it hits its profits. Hopes had largely been rising that the worst of such worries had passed, which in turn sent stocks rallying, after Trump paused his tariffs on both China and the European Union. A U.S. court then on Wednesday blocked many of Trump's sweeping tariffs. That all sent the S&P 500 in May to its first winning month in four and its best since November. But the tariffs remain in place while the White House appeals the ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade, and the ultimate outcome is still uncertain. Friday's most influential losses came from several Big Tech stocks. Nvidia fell 2.9% to give back some of its gain from earlier in the week after it topped analysts' expectations for profit in the latest quarter. It was the single heaviest weight by far on the S&P 500. On the winning side of Wall Street was Ulta Beauty, which rose 11.8% after the retailer reported stronger sales and profit than analysts forecast. It also raised the top end of its forecasted range for revenue this fiscal year even though CEO Kecia Steelman called the operating environment 'fluid.' In the bond market, Treasury yields eased after a report showed that the measure of inflation that the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower in April than economists expected. A separate report from the University of Michigan said that sentiment among U.S. consumers was better in May than economists expected. Sentiment improved in the back half of the month after Trump paused many of his tariffs on China. In currency trading early Monday, the U.S. dollar fell to 143.55 Japanese yen from 143.87 yen. The euro inched up to $1.1364 from $1.1351.
San Francisco Chronicle
41 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
China blasts US for its computer chip moves and for threatening student visas
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China blasted the U.S. on Monday over moves it alleged harmed Chinese interests, including issuing AI chip export control guidelines, stopping the sale of chip design software to China, and planning to revoke Chinese student visas. 'These practices seriously violate the consensus' reached during trade discussions in Geneva last month, the Commerce Ministry said in a statement. That referred to a China-U.S. joint statement in which the United States and China agreed to slash their massive recent tariffs, restarting stalled trade between the world's two biggest economies. But last month's de-escalation in President Donald Trump's trade wars did nothing to resolve underlying differences between Beijing and Washington and Monday's statement showed how easily such agreements can lead to further turbulence. The deal lasts 90 days, creating time for U.S. and Chinese negotiators to reach a more substantive agreement. But the pause also leaves tariffs higher than before Trump started ramping them up last month. And businesses and investors must contend with uncertainty about whether the truce will last. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the U.S. agreed to drop the 145% tax Trump imposed last month to 30%. China agreed to lower its tariff rate on U.S. goods to 10% from 125%. The Commerce Ministry said China held up its end of the deal, canceling or suspending tariffs and non-tariff measures taken against the U.S. 'reciprocal tariffs' following the agreement. "The United States has unilaterally provoked new economic and trade frictions, exacerbating the uncertainty and instability of bilateral economic and trade relations,' while China has stood by its commitments, the statement said. It also threatened unspecified retaliation, saying China will 'continue to take resolute and forceful measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.' And in response to recent comments by Trump, it said of the U.S.: 'Instead of reflecting on itself, it has turned the tables and unreasonably accused China of violating the consensus, which is seriously contrary to the facts.' Trump stirred further controversy Friday, saying he will no longer be nice with China on trade, declaring in a social media post that the country had broken an agreement with the United States. Hours later, Trump said in the Oval Office that he will speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping and 'hopefully we'll work that out,' while still insisting China had violated the agreement. The Trump administration also stepped up the clash with China in other ways last week, announcing that it would start revoking visas for Chinese students studying in the U.S. U.S. campuses host more than 275,000 students from China. Both countries are in a race to develop advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, with Washington seeking to curb China's access to the most advanced computer chips. China is also seeking to displace the U.S. as the leading power in the Asia-Pacific, including through gaining control over close U.S. partner and leading tech giant Taiwan.
