Watch: Bill Maher Dubs Donald Trump a 'Reverse Billionaire,' Says President is Real 'Resistance'

HBO host Bill Maher once again went after President Donald Trump last night during the opening monologue of Real Time with Bill Maher, mocking Trump over a recent report questioning his business success and the White House's apparent newfound fondness for claiming executive privilege.

Maher argued that Trump "has decided that laws don't apply to him... he's been exerting executive privilege about the Mueller report, forbidding officials to testify, blowing off subpoenas, just completely saying no, cockblocking all the attempts to see his tax returns. It turns out, we're not the resistance, he's the resistance."

He likened the president's attitude to the opening voiceover from Law & Order, except in the Trump version Maher said it would begin, "In our system, the people are represented by two separate groups: The Congress who writes the laws, and the executive who says 'Go f**k yourself.'''

Maher asked: "Can we see his taxes? No. Do we get to see the unredacted Mueller report? No. Are you having entanglements and making money from foreigners? Nyet — I mean, no."

The president, claimed the comedian, had just recently discovered the phrase "executive privilege," but Maher said Trump did not know what it actually was.

"He might invoke the infield fly rule, it would have been the same thing," he explained. "It's like saying, 'Teacher, you can't keep me after school, I have a note from Burger King.'"

Regarding the recent New York Times report that, between 1985 and 1994, Trump's business lost more than $1 billion and avoided paying any taxes, Maher wondered why Democrats were not using this information to attack the president more vehemently. He suggested that presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren — whom the president has mockingly called "Pocahontas" — should start referring to Trump as "Broke-ahontas."

"He sold himself to this country as a business genius," said Maher. "Turns out, he's a reverse billionaire — his economic value was minus $1.17 billion. And today, Melania was like 'Tell me again why I'm f***ing this guy.'"

Democrats in the House recently issued a contempt of Congress citation for Attorney General Bill Barr for refusing to comply with a subpoena to turn over the full, unredacted Mueller report, but Maher wasn't impressed.

"So what? He's the top law enforcement official in the country," noted the host. "Who's gonna arrest him, Inspector Gadget?"

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer



To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go