“Real Time” host Bill Maher took aim Friday at President Donald Trump’s supposedly “manly administration” and mocked Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who held a purportedly urgent meeting Tuesday with top U.S. military officials — and body-shamed them.
Maher began his opening monologue on Friday by broaching the ongoing government shutdown, joking that Trump will negotiate the issue “in good faith” by continuing his renovations on the White House ballroom, which are estimated to cost $200 million.
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“Trump knows how to negotiate this,” Maher joked Friday about the shutdown. “We’re going to get over this, you know how you do it? You get everybody in a room — preferably a ballroom — and you say, ‘Nobody’s leaving here until you check out these cherubs.’”
“Cherubs, oh, this is a manly administration,” he continued.
Trump announced the renovations in July and, despite the federal government officially stalling on Wednesday amid continuing budget disagreements, has since declared that the project won’t be slowed — and has posted a stream of baffling memes on social media.
Maher mocked another example of the administration’s supposed manliness, noting Hegseth ordered more than 800 U.S. military generals and admirals Tuesday to Quantico, Virginia for an emergency meeting Maher argued has since been shown to be anything but.
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The former Fox News personality had assembled America’s top brass to champion their “warrior ethos” — only to scold “fat generals and admirals,” “dudes in dresses” and the “unprofessional” grooming of service members with beards, or so-called “beardos.”
“Because that is the thing you want to do most,” Maher said Friday. “You want to get your most critical people in the command structure all gathered in one room. Hopefully with the doors locked from the outside. And then Pete gave them a TED Talk.”
Hegseth, seen here Tuesday addressing America’s highest-ranking U.S. military officials. Andrew Harnik/Pool/Associated Press
“Are you kidding?” added the comedian and political pundit. “This is supposed to be an exercise in morale building. Because nothing pumps you up like taking a 22-hour flight to be yelled at by a Fox News dry drunk about your love handles.”
Hegseth’s alleged alcohol abuse was reportedly so rampant that his former Fox News colleagues voiced their concern following his nomination by Trump in November. Hegseth has also faced sexual abuse allegations. He has denied both.
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His speech on Tuesday drew notable criticism from one of his former colleagues.
“It’s funny, half the speech was about a ‘warrior ethos’ that we want, and manly men,” Maher said Friday. “And the other half was grooming tips. Because nothing says ‘warrior ethos’ like, ‘What products do you use?’ So, to recap: No gays, just buff, hairless men.”
