Bill Maher Admits He Was Wrong — and Calls Out the Toxic Power of Trump Hatred

In a candid moment on his Club Random podcast, Bill Maher confessed he was wrong about former President Trump’s tariffs.

“I would’ve thought … that these tariffs were going to f—ing sink this economy by this time — and they didn’t. I gotta own it.”

He went further, acknowledging that the economy, contrary to doom-laden predictions, is performing better than many expected. The stock market is up. Daily life isn’t defined by depression-era collapse. It’s not what he anticipated — and that’s the point.

But Maher’s most important admission wasn’t economic. It was psychological:

“Let’s work first from the reality … not from ‘I just hate Donald Trump,’ because that’s boring and doesn’t get us anywhere and leads you to dishonesty.”

The Big Takeaway: Reflexive Hatred Leads to Delusion

Maher’s honesty cuts through the fog of modern discourse. If all you can think is “I hate Trump,” then you are no longer reasoning — you’re reacting. And reaction-based thinking leads to blindness. It’s not just unproductive; it’s dishonest.

But here’s the deeper truth: this is not about Trump. The principle holds true regardless of party.

If every time you hear “Obama,” your gut reaction is “I hate Obama,” you’re just as prone to delusion. You’ll bend reality to fit your narrative, dismiss anything that works, and double down on what doesn’t — because truth becomes secondary to your bias.

Jesus called out the Pharisees for their personal bias, legal technicalities, and assumptions in John 7:24.

"Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly." — John 7:24

He's making a call for discernment - to look deeper than surface impressions, political party, or emotions, and instead evaluate based on truth, and results.

Real Freedom Begins With Observation

Personally, I discovered this freedom through an unlikely source — a story featured in the book Switch about Jerry Sternin, a man sent to rural Vietnam to solve a severe malnutrition crisis. Instead of importing complex theories, he simply looked for what was already working.

He found that a few mothers were feeding their children tiny shrimp and crabs from rice paddies — local protein others believed inappropriate for kids. That small difference changed everything.

The takeaway?
Do more of what works. Do less of what doesn’t.

It sounds almost laughably simple — but it’s liberating. It breaks you out of the emotional shackles of tribal politics. It frees you from the prison of the two-party system and the addiction to being “right” all the time.

Let’s face it: theory often sounds utopian, especially when wrapped in ideology. But the road to hell is still paved with good intentions — and some of the worst outcomes have come from leaders who meant well but refused to course correct.

"The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason..." — James 3:17

In Summary

Bill Maher’s willingness to admit error — and to warn against the blinding effect of partisan hatred — is a breath of fresh air. His message isn’t pro-Trump or anti-Trump. It’s pro-reality.

When we observe honestly and act on what works, we step into wisdom. When we lead with hatred — of any leader — we lose our way.

So maybe it’s time we stop asking, “Who’s side are you on?” and start asking, “What’s working, and what’s not?”

What do you think — what would happen if we stopped picking sides and started asking what’s actually working?