On Friday’s broadcast of HBO’s Real Time, host Bill Maher acknowledged that Washington, D.C. suffers from high crime and homelessness, while also conceding that liberals have failed to address the problem. Maher argued that although he disagrees with President Trump’s approach, the former president is not wrong to insist that city streets belong to law-abiding citizens, not to criminals or homeless encampments.
Maher pointed out that while D.C.’s crime is severe, several counties in other states report even higher murder rates, including Shelby County, Tennessee, and Jefferson County, Alabama. He questioned why federal authorities are not deployed in those areas as well. Still, Maher admitted that Trump is capitalizing on issues Democrats have failed to fix. “This is another instance of Trump having an idea that’s not completely wrong…he takes advantage of when liberals f*ck up,” Maher said.
The host criticized the way checkpoints have been placed in some of the wealthiest neighborhoods of Washington, D.C., while more dangerous parts of the city remain neglected. He argued that residents should not have to live in fear or surrender public spaces to encampments.
Maher further warned that progressive policies have enabled homelessness to become a “lifestyle,” with leaders unwilling to enforce basic standards. He insisted that citizens should not be forced to watch their streets taken over by tent cities and open-air drug use. “You can’t just take over the streets of the city,” Maher said, stressing that homelessness needs real solutions, not excuses.
While critical of President Trump’s hardline tactics, Maher’s comments reveal growing frustration among liberals over their own party’s inability to manage urban decline. His remarks echo the concerns of millions of Americans who believe Democrat-led cities have abandoned the principle that public spaces belong to taxpayers, not lawbreakers.
