Bill Maher Believes Donald Trump 'Doesn't Respect' People Who Suck Up to Him

In an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Bill Maher argued that President Donald Trump secretly loathes the “boring a-- kissers” who constantly surround him.

Maher stated that Trump is "that guy who wants you to kiss his a--, but then he doesn't respect you when you do."

The HBO political commentator, who has frequently defended Trump despite his typically liberal politics, emphasized that the POTUS doesn't read traditional briefing books and largely operates on what "people are saying."

Because of this, Maher argued the president needs more independent voices talking to him rather than a continuous echo chamber.

“The first time I was with him, I tried to tell him that I thought the Obama [Iran] deal should have at least been given a chance, but he was fine talking about it. Didn’t agree. That doesn’t matter — it’s water under the bridge, fait accompli; we’re in a different place," the comedian stated. "But yeah, he does not read the briefing books. Everything is done by 'People are saying,' so be one of the people saying. You know, he needs more people like me talking to him, not less.

"He, I think he actually doesn’t like the fact that all he has around him are boring a-- kissers. He’s that guy who wants you to kiss his a--, but then he doesn’t respect you when you do, you know?" Maher said.

Despite Trump frequently attacking Maher on social media and trying to block him from receiving accolades like the Mark Twain Prize, Maher he like to communicate with the president.

"I’d rather be involved. You know, I’d rather have the conversation going. I still want to talk to him,” Maher said.

“If he invited you to dinner, you’d still, you’d go?” Zakaria asked.

“Totally, absolutely. Because look, not talking guarantees you nothing, and he is not a guy with a lot of fixed opinions. You know, people do change his mind all the time,” Maher admitted.

Maher’s insights follow a shifting relationship between the two figures, including a widely publicized private White House dinner they shared, which Trump later publicly dismissed as "a total waste of time" after Maher discussed it on his program.

Maher also said that Trump’s intimidation factor has worn off recently.

“People don’t fear him like they once did,” he alleged.

“So, you really think this is peak Trump, and we’re just going to see him decline?” Zakaria asked.

“I don’t know what he can do,” Maher expressed. “I mean, if it really was going to be as bad as I thought it was going to be 10 years ago, he would have shut down The New York Times. The New York Times has never stopped printing everything it ever wanted to say about him. I have never pulled one punch, which is why he got mad at me again. You know, he had somebody recently who was interviewing him, and they mentioned No Kings Day. And he said, ‘If I was a king, I wouldn’t be talking to you!'”

Maher concluded by praising the president, adding, “He’s funny. You got to give him that.”