Trump says he'll meet with Bill Maher and Kid Rock: ‘It might be fun'
President Trump has low expectations for his upcoming dinner with talk show host and Trump critic Bill Maher, he said in a social media post on Monday, but he thinks the face-to-face confab could be 'fun.'
'I really didn't like the idea much, and don't like it much now, but thought it would be interesting,' the president wrote to his followers on Truth Social. 'It might be fun or, it might not, but you will be the first to know!'
Trump acknowledged he and Maher often have been at odds and said he expects the comedian 'will publicly proclaim what a terrible guy I am,' after they break bread at the White House.
'Who knows, though, maybe I'll be proven wrong?' Trump wrote.
The dinner was arranged by musician Kid Rock, a Trump supporter who will also join them for the meal. It's unclear when the sit-down will happen, but Trump said on Truth Social the invitation also has been extended to Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO and President Dana White, a longtime Trump ally.
Trump described Maher as 'a man who has been unjustifiably critical of anything, or anyone, TRUMP.'
Trump sued Maher in 2013 for $5 million after Maher made a crass joke about Trump's mother and an orangutan. The suit was later dropped.
The comedian last week spoke of his plans for the dinner, comparing it to then-President Nixon's (R) historic trip to China in 1972 despite being an ardent opponent of communism.
'Look, it probably will accomplish very little, but you got to try, man, you got to try,' Maher told NewsNation host Chris Cuomo on Friday's episode of 'The Chris Cuomo Project' podcast.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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New York Times
18 minutes ago
- New York Times
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The Hill
29 minutes ago
- The Hill
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Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump tariffs live updates: Trump, Xi Jinping speak as focus turns to US trade deals
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Trade talks between the US and India were set to wrap up this Friday, but now they are being extended into next week as officials on both sides aim to work out an interim deal before a July 9 deadline. Indian government sources said the discussions, which have focused on tariff cuts in the farming and auto sectors, will continue next Monday and Tuesday. President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are looking to double trade by 2030 and cement a trade pact by fall 2025. Reuters reports: Read more here. US and Chinese officials exchanged jabs at an event held by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Shanghai on Friday, as the chamber appealed for more clarity for American businesses operating in China. Reuters reports: Read more here. India's Tata Steel has warned that it might be excluded from tariff-free access to the US under the UK's trade agreement with the Trump administration. This exclusion risks putting more than $180M worth of annual exports at risk. 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According to a survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in China, most US firms with operations in china are not budging. The survey revealed that some US don't want to leave the country and in fact would ramp up production in China, despite the the challenges posed by tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. We know what President Trump wants in trade discussions with China. But what does China's Xi Jinping want? Bloomberg News reports Read more here. Both the US and China are using their control over key materials in a deepening trade war standoff. On Friday, Bloomberg reported that Washington is restricting ethane shipments, a gas China heavily relies on for plastics production. This follows Washingtons block on chip exports to China. 'Ethane is no longer just a byproduct of shale — it's now a geopolitical weapon,' said Julian Renton, lead analyst covering natural gas liquids at East Daley Analytics. 'China bet billions building infrastructure around US ethane, and Washington is now questioning whether that bet should continue to pay off.' But the US is not the only one weaponising their grip on vital materials. China has tightened control on rare earths, a crucial element used for technology products. However, on Thursday President Trump got a commitment from China to restore flow of rare earth magnets. These moves by the US and China marks a shift toward using strategic resources as leverage. President Trump confirmed his call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Truth Social, saying the call lasted one and half hours and "resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries." "I just concluded a very good phone call with President Xi, of China, discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal," President Trump said. Trump added that the call focused on trade, including rare earth minerals, and that the two leaders did not discuss the Russia-Ukraine war or Iran. Notably, Trump outlined that he and Xi agreed on next steps for trade talks, which will take place "shortly." Trump is sending Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to meet with Chinese officials. Trump also said he and the first lady had been invited to visit China and that he extended the same invitation to President Xi. Read more here. The US trade deficit shrank in April as imports fell sharply, mainly due to President Trump's tariffs and companies who had previously raced to beat high import costs, no longer rushing in goods ahead of new levies. Reuters reports: Read more here. Chinese state media reported Thursday morning that President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a phone call at Trump's request. Anticipation had been building as to when the two leaders would speak, as trade tensions between the US and China reignited after Trump and Chinese officials each stated the other had broken their informal Geneva agreement. Trump had publicly pushed for a phone call, which press secretary Karoline Leavitt hinted would come this week. The call appears to mark the first talk between the two leaders during Trump's second term in office. Indian and US officials are holding high-level talks this week in New Delhi to hammer out a finalized trade deal that could be announced this month, two government sources told Reuters. Reuters reports: Read more here. The tit-for-tat game between the US and China continues. A Bloomberg report on Thursday said that the Trump administration plans to broaden restrictions on China's tech sector with new regulations to include subsidiaries of companies under US curbs. This follows China's curbs on rare earths which have led to the US, the EU, Japan and global car companies sounding the alarm on supply chain issues. The Geneva tariff talks between the US and China were meant to help prevent trade tensions between the two nations and put a stop to escalating tariffs. However, it seems both sides are unwilling to back down. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. US business optimism has fallen sharply, reflecting a trend seen in the first quarter of the year and a reversal from the buoyant mood after President Trump was elected. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The world's largest consumer goods company, Procter & Gamble (PG), said on Thursday it will cut 7,000 jobs, approximately 6% of its total workforce, over the next two years as part of a new restructuring plan to combat falling consumer demand and higher costs due to tariffs. P&G said it also plans to exit some product categories and brands in certain markets. P&G, which makes popular brands such as Pampers and Tide detergent, said the restructuring plan comes when consumer spending is pressured. Like P&G, other consumer companies are also facing a drop in demand, such as Unilever. President Trump's tariffs on trading partners have deeply impacted global markets and led to recession fears in the US, which is the biggest market for P&G. A Reuters poll revealed that Trump's trade war has cost companies over $34B in lost sales and higher costs. My colleague Brian Sozzi highlights some of P&G's changes within his latest piece, stating that the consumer goods brand knows how to do a "few things very well." P&G was forced to raise prices on some products in April. Pricing and cost cuts were the main levers, CFO Andre Schulten said. On Thursday, Schulten and P&G's operations head Shailesh Jejurikar acknowledged that the geopolitical environment was "unpredictable" and that consumers were facing "greater uncertainty." Read more here. Instead of passing on tariff costs to consumers, tonic maker Fevertree Drinks (FQVTY) announced on Thursday it would equally split costs of the 10% tariff imposed on UK imports to the US with brewer Molson Coors (TAP). The British company, known for its premium cocktail mixers, counts the United States as its largest market, where it continues to deliver strong momentum bolstered by its partnership with the US beer maker Molson Coors. Read more here. Reuters reports: Read more here. British firms are brushing off President Trump's tariffs, according to a survey released on Thursday by the Bank of England. Reuters reports: Read more here.