Comedian and talk-show host Bill Maher called President Donald Trump “an authoritarian Taylor Swift” during his HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday night.
Maher said Trump is trying to take revenge on people who angered him. He joked that Trump has turned political grudges into a personal campaign against his critics.
The episode featured former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as the main guest. The panel included CNBC host and author Andrew Ross Sorkin and businessman Mark Cuban.
Maher began his monologue by briefly praising Trump’s role in the Israel–Hamas deal. He then moved to the “No Kings” protest, mocking Republicans who accused liberals of hating America.
“No, the Republicans are saying this is not no King’s Day. They said this is hate America day. Yeah, liberals hate America? That’s what they think? Yeah, if you won’t stop assembling freely and speaking freely, we’re gonna send our masked, unaccountable secret police to arrest you, as America should be!”
He said Trump dislikes being called a king.
“He said, I am not a king, and the next person who calls me one, they’re going to find their ass in the dungeon, let me tell you!”
Maher added:
“He denied it. He said, I am not a king. I have no intention of becoming a king, but if some country wants to donate a gold crown, I’m not gonna say no. All right. Why would you think King? The enemies list?”
Maher compared Trump’s actions to those of former President Richard Nixon, who was once accused of keeping an enemies list.
“You know, enemies list, I remember when Nixon, you know, they accused Nixon of having an enemies list and he denied it. Trump reads it out loud!”
“I’m not kidding, he just reads it out loud, that’s a little bit of a difference.”
Maher listed people Trump had targeted, including former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and former National Security Adviser John Bolton.
“The latest one, I mean, Comey’s indicted, Letitia James indicted, now John Bolton, his former national security advisor, wrote a book about him, not a good idea. He’s indicted. Trump is going after everyone that ever p*ssed him off. He’s like an authoritarian Taylor Swift. It’s amazing.”
Bill Maher Mocks Trump As 'Authoritarian Taylor Swift' Settling Scores pic.twitter.com/sRSVU2cZV1
— Tommy moderna-vaX-Topher (@tommyxtopher) October 18, 2025