Comedian Bill Maher recently launched into a critique of President Trump, charging him with “flirting with authoritarianism,” just weeks after sharing a seemingly amicable dinner with his longtime adversary.
Referencing their cordial dinner at the end of March as evidence of his open-mindedness, Maher reverted to his familiar criticisms, claiming that Trump has been “flirting with fascism.” He remarked, “Trump is the only president who leaves you feeling relieved when he doesn’t fulfill his campaign promises,” during his show, “Real Time with Bill Maher.”
Maher expressed concern over Trump’s lighthearted comments about not becoming a dictator “except on Day One,” along with his hints at potentially pursuing a third term despite the 22nd Amendment prohibiting it. “That’s the trouble with jokes about dictatorship; they often fail to remain mere jokes. Flirting with authoritarianism rarely stays innocent,” Maher emphasized.
He cautioned, “Humans cannot be relied upon to flirt with attractive individuals without consequences, and the MAGA crowd should not engage in playful banter with dictatorship.” While not everyone who flirts deceives, Maher noted, “All deception begins with flirting.”
In the past, Maher was a vocal critic of Trump, yet he has recently forged connections with conservatives and libertarians due to his stance against perceived wokeness.
Earlier this year, rock star Kid Rock nudged the two to meet, and afterward, Maher revealed that during the dinner, “everything I’ve disliked about him was mysteriously absent.”
Maher believed his candid assessment of Trump enhances his credibility with conservatives and allows him to underscore the president’s faults.
Vocabulary List:
- Authoritarianism /əˌθɔːrɪˈtɛəriənɪzəm/ (noun): A political system characterized by a concentration of power in a leader or an elite not responsible to the public.
- Flirting /flɜːrtɪŋ/ (verb): Engaging in playful or romantic behavior without serious intent.
- Cordial /ˈkɔːrdiəl/ (adjective): Warm and friendly; sincere.
- Fascism /ˈfæʃɪzəm/ (noun): A political system led by a dictator with complete power forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism.
- Deception /dɪˈsɛpʃən/ (noun): The act of deceiving someone; misleading or falsely presenting information.
- Credibility /ˌkrɛdəˈbɪləti/ (noun): The quality of being trusted and believed in; the reliability of a person or source.
