Liberal comedian and political commentator Bill Maher acknowledged in a recent episode of his Club Random podcast that he was wrong about former President Donald Trump’s use of tariffs and their expected impact on the U.S. economy.
Speaking with progressive YouTube host Brian Tyler Cohen, Maher said he initially believed Trump’s aggressive tariff policies would trigger an economic collapse. “I remember that I, along with probably most people, was saying at the beginning, ‘Oh, by the 4th of July, the economy’s going to tank,’” Maher said. “Well, that didn’t happen. I’ve got to own it.”
Maher emphasized the importance of being honest with his audience and dealing with facts rather than personal political biases. “Let’s work first from the reality of that—not from ‘I just hate Donald Trump,’ because that’s boring and doesn’t get us anywhere and leads you to dishonesty,” he added.
Despite not fully understanding Trump’s strategy, Maher acknowledged that the economy appears strong. “The stock market is at record highs… I drive around. I don’t see a country in a depression. I see people just out there living their lives.”
Maher, who has often criticized Trump, has previously voiced skepticism about Trump’s economic policies, especially his trade war with China. In April, he mocked Trump’s push to revive American manufacturing, calling it “so 70s” and arguing that automation would ultimately replace most of those jobs.
Cohen responded to Maher’s comments by pointing out the pitfalls of political forecasting. “If I was good at predicting things, Hillary Clinton would have been president in 2016,” he said.
Trump’s tariff policies, aimed at renegotiating what he called unfair trade deals, sparked controversy but have yet to result in the economic collapse many critics predicted. Maher’s admission marks a rare moment of public rethinking from a prominent liberal media figure.
