‘The View’ Hosts React to Trump’s Screed About Bill Maher Dinner

The odd, public spat between Donald Trump and former dinner guest Bill Maher made the “Hot Topics” on Monday’s (October 26) edition of The View.

The cohosts reviewed footage of the Real Time With Bill Maher host sharing highlights of his dinner with the president, which was also attended by Kid Rock and Stephen A. Smith, as well as Trump’s 1,300+ word social media post condemning Maher for his recap of the night.

“How much time does he have on his hands?” Alyssa Farah Griffin said in response to the message.

“He could try leading the country,” Sara Haines said.

Whoopi Goldberg noted that the part of Trump’s message that stood out to her was, “He said to him, ‘Bill, don’t call anymore.’ I thought that was interesting.”

Griffin then reiterated her previously stated point that she would visit the White House on invitation from Trump, but she also clarified that it wouldn’t be for a social visit.

“So, listen, we’ve debated this. We’re never going to agree. I want to make this distinction. I would not say yes to a social call at the White House. I would always say yes in two forms: in a journalist capacity, if you’re there and they say you can interview the president and nothing’s off limits, or in an advocacy capacity,” Griffin said. “I remember when Kim Kardashian got a lot of flack for going into the Trump White House in the first term. She ended up being instrumental in the First Step Act being passed, which was the most consequential criminal justice legislation in over a decade. So I’m like, if you can make a small benefit for good, I think you should do it.”

Navarro then said that might be true if the person could be swayed, but that’s not the case with Trump. “For me, Donald Trump is a lost cause, and he just proved it. What he expects from having people over to the White House for a four-hour boozy dinner is that they’re going to leave there and use their giant platforms to kiss his ass. When that doesn’t happen, he doesn’t like it.” She then recounted a 2013 visit she and other Latino leaders had with Barack Obama, which was fruitful and resulted in policy changes. “Out of that meeting came open lines of communication between immigration advocates and Latino leaders and the president of the United States, even when we didn’t agree. But when you go and eat Donald Trump’s food and drink Donald Trump’s booze, expect that what he wants is for you to get out there and lie about Donald Trump.”

Griffin credited both Maher and Stephen A. Smith for not changing their tunes on Trump after the dinner. “They both continued to criticize him,” she said.

Sunny Hostin then offered a joke, saying, “If Maher keeps this up, he’s never going to get a compliment about his ass from Trump!”

The View, weekdays, 11a/10c, ABC