Bill Maher Goes Off On Trump Over Economy: ‘Why Are We F*cking Putting Ourselves Through This?’
Comic and political pundit Bill Maher went off on President Donald Trump for roiling the economy with his trade war, asking “Why are we fucking putting ourselves through this?”
On Friday night’s edition of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, the interview guests were Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, actors and comedic duo who are the subjects of the documentary “Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie.”
The panel guests were Kara Swisher, co-host of the “Pivot” podcast, host of “On with Kara Swisher” podcast, and author of “Burn Book: A Tech Love Story”; and Kevin McCarthy, former Republican congressman who represented California’s 20th district and served as the 55th Speaker of the House.
Maher opened the show with a monologue that was heavy with Trump material, including a riff on Trump’s rant this week about the price of “dolls” thanks to his trade war:
BILL MAHER: Christ, we hit the 100-day mark of the Trump administration, as you know, this week, and ooh, the numbers are kind of in the toilet. 39% of America approval rating. That’s the lowest 100-day mark for a president in 80 years. It’s like America remarried their ex and remembered why they got divorced in the first place.
I’m just giving you the facts. The S&P 500 down 7% since Trump took office. The value of the dollar is off 10%. The economy has shrunk for the first time in three years. Consumer confidence is down for the time in five years. Kind of a high price for getting back plastic straws is what I would…
And, you know, this is all because of the tariffs, which are going to have been in effect now for a while. And then it’s, we see it already now. The ports, I don’t know if you go to the ports, but I don´t, but you know it’s always been the bustling port of–, the bustling?
No bustling. Ports are not bustling, and the containers aren’t coming in, the ports aren’t unloading, and then what happens? They say soon, the shelves at Walmart could be 90% bare, just like the people who shop there. No, I kid the Walmart shoppers.
But, you know, Trump, he only doubles down. I mean, this guy, I got to say, the balls on him, they asked him about what’s going to happen Christmas, because, you, know, 80% of the toys come from China, and this is the time they’re starting to plan for that.
Trump said, Well, maybe the children this year will get $2 instead of $30, and maybe they’ll cost more.
Right so there’s less on the shelf and it costs more what what’s your problem people just? Just imagine you live at the airport. I mean, what… What?
I mean, who runs on a pledge of, let’s make Christmas worse for children? I, I,.
He’s also opening a new Trump-branded store called Toys R’ Suss.
Uh, and, you know. The thing is that people in this country now, we don’t understand why we’re doing this. Why are we fucking putting ourselves through this? To bring manufacturing back from China to make the things here that they make in China? That’s the American dream?
Hey, you see that Squirtle hanging off that girl’s backpack? My kid made that! That’s really the new American dream? A house, a car, and a job painting the eyes on Bratz dolls? I mean, for fuck’s sake.
Watch above via HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher.
