Bill Maher Expresses Desire to Meet George W. Bush as Trump Alters His Perspective

Basio badr

ago 3 hours

Bill Maher Expresses Desire to Meet George W. Bush as Trump Alters His Perspective

Bill Maher recently expressed a newfound interest in interviewing former President George W. Bush. While reflecting on Bush’s presidency, Maher acknowledged that his perspective has changed, especially in the context of Donald Trump’s presidency. He noted that although he remains critical of many of Bush’s decisions, he now sees things more clearly.

Maher’s Evolving Perspective on George W. Bush

During an episode of his Club Random podcast featuring Bush’s cousin, Billy Bush, Maher shared his thoughts. He remarked, “I was hard on Bush—I’m not taking it back,” referencing his opposition to the Iraq invasion and Republican policies. Despite this, he stated, “But I also have things more in perspective,” admitting that he could have been more reasonable in his criticisms.

Positive Attributes of Bush’s Presidency

Social Security Privatization: Maher mentioned he found the idea of privatizing Social Security to be “not like the worst idea.”
Respect for Obama: He admired Bush’s graciousness towards Barack Obama after the 2008 election, specifically his message of goodwill: “we want you to succeed.”
Political Climate: Maher contrasted the political environment of Bush’s era with today’s, stating it was “not as toxic” as it is now in 2025.

These reflections are notable, as Maher has previously stated that the U.S. has made progress since the early days of the Iraq War. In 2013, he indicated that he was surprised by the resilience of the country, saying it was “actually doing better than I thought it would be.”

Lighthearted Moments

Towards the end of the podcast, Billy Bush shared an amusing anecdote about his experience with psilocybin mushrooms, which sparked a light-hearted conversation. Maher humorously suggested to Bush to relay a message to W. about the Iraq War, leading to laughter between the two.