On Friday’s episode of HBO’s Real Time, host Bill Maher praised President Donald Trump’s Middle East policy, crediting the former administration with standing unapologetically by Israel and shifting away from decades of failed diplomacy centered on Palestinian demands. Maher argued that Trump’s approach not only broke with tradition but produced tangible results.
“I’m not going to hide my admiration for somebody who did this differently,” Maher said. “And said, without apology, I’m with Israel.” He emphasized the moral and democratic contrast between Israel and its neighbors, stating there’s only one country in the region that values life and shares Western principles. “There’s only one country where you’d actually want to live, quite frankly, if you were living in the Middle East.”
Maher also addressed Trump’s strategic departure from prioritizing Palestinian negotiations, calling past U.S. efforts “even-Steven” diplomacy that never acknowledged ground realities. He said Trump chose to work with “actual countries” like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Bahrain—nations that were ready to move forward with peace and economic partnerships.
“They could have made Palestine its own country from 1948 to 1967 when they had it, and they didn’t,” Maher stated, pointing out the historic unwillingness of Arab states to establish a Palestinian nation when they had full control. He added that many Arab leaders were aware of the posturing and welcomed a more direct, results-driven approach.
Maher concluded by noting that both Jewish and Arab communities responded positively to Trump’s strategy, calling it a rare achievement: “It’s amazing, the Jews like him and the Arabs like him. That’s quite a hat trick.”
Maher’s comments reflect growing acknowledgment—even among liberal circles—that President Trump’s Abraham Accords and broader regional strategy brought a new dynamic to U.S. Middle East policy, breaking away from decades of unproductive negotiations and delivering diplomatic breakthroughs.
