The Aporia · Trump has ‘great dinner’ and tours White House ballroom with ‘smart people’ Bill Maher and Stephen A. Smith

Trump has ‘great dinner’ and tours White House ballroom with ‘smart people’ Bill Maher and Stephen A. Smith

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Nelson, S. (2026, October 16). Trump has ‘great dinner’ and tours White House ballroom with ‘smart people’ Bill Maher and Stephen A. Smith. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/16/us-news/trump-has-great-dinner-with-smart-people-bill-maher-and-stephen-a-smith-they-like-trump/

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Quick Summary

President Trump hosted a dinner at the White House for comedian Bill Maher and sports commentator Stephen A. Smith on Thursday night. The president described the event as “a great dinner” where they discussed various topics and toured the White House ballroom. Earlier this year, Trump had criticized Smith, calling him derogatory names including "low IQ individual" and "dumb as a rock." Maher previously dined with Trump in an earlier visit to the White House.

Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-16, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

On October 13, 2026, President Trump hosted a dinner at the White House for comedian Bill Maher, musician Kid Rock, and sports commentator Stephen A. Smith. Trump reported to reporters that they had an extensive conversation about various topics and toured the White House ballroom. This event was first publicized by the Washington DC bar Madams Organ through social media posts, showing Maher and Smith at a live music performance before their dinner with the president.

Despite past tensions between Trump and Smith—Trump previously called Smith "a low IQ individual" and "dumb as a rock"—the dinner seemed amicable. Trump emphasized that they are all intellectually capable individuals who enjoyed each other's company despite the public perception of any animosity. This dinner marks an unusual gathering given the contentious relationship between some attendees, particularly highlighting the change in dynamics since Smith's birthday celebration at KingPin Blues, a local music venue.

Written for “Trump Dinner With Bill Maher And Stephen A Smith” on 2026-10-17, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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0 of 18 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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Same framing elsewhere

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Who wrote this

Steven Nelson

36 article(s) here · 0 carrying a prediction

🔮 “Putin has repeatedly shown that he responds to pressure, not goodwill,” wrote Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) in a bipartisan letter to the president Thursday.

2026-10-15 · assertive framing · GOP hawks urge Trump to force Putin to make a deal: ‘Need a Churchill’

🔮 Zacharia, 42, failed the California bar exam after graduating from Pepperdine University’s law school in 2011, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing a person familiar with her experience. The press secretary told the New York Times in a phone interview Wednesday that she had asked Pepperdine’s president how to describe herself after graduating and was told to avoid the phrase “attorney” or “esquire,” but given a green light to say “lawyer.” Intense interest in Zacharia’s legal credentials emerged Tuesday after Popular Information reported that her name could not be found on any lists of attorneys admitted to any state bars.

2026-10-15 · assertive framing · New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia under fire as questions emerge about her legal background

🔮 The president, who has sought to renovate the performing arts venue and rebrand it to include his name, referred the allegations to White House Counsel Will Scharf for further investigation.

2026-10-14 · assertive framing · White House investigating Alina Habba’s claim that $6 million donation went missing under Ric Grenell’s leadership at Kennedy Center

🔮 “She has been a wonderful asset to the team, and we wish her well.”

2026-10-13 · assertive framing · Trump humiliatingly asks Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign as ambassador to Greece, Katie Zacharia reveals in first briefing

🔮 Trump has had particularly tough words for Zelensky in recent days, including saying “it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president” after Zelensky criticized a deal announced by Trump on Friday in which Russian diesel will be exported to the US.

2026-10-12 · assertive framing · Trump declares Putin ‘wants to make a deal’ — as he knocks Ukraine’s Zelensky

🔮 But what could be expected from a committee that previously gave the once coveted peace prize to Yasser Arafat?”

2026-10-09 · assertive framing · Trump boosts statement calling Nobel Peace Prize winner Navi Pillay ‘unabashed hater of America’

🔮 They most likely have numerous clients, but for that, you would have to ask them,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

2026-10-07 · assertive framing · Trump threatens to ‘terminate’ top campaign advisers after revelation of work for pro-Russia Bosnia party

🔮 We will be able to report about it probably tomorrow.”

2026-10-06 · assertive framing · Trump scheduling call with Putin amid Russian plague shock: ‘Very deep discussions’

🔮 Trump would need Congress to return to Washington to consider the plan — and both the House and Senate are not scheduled to return until after the election.

2026-10-06 · assertive framing · Trump says he’s considering suspending federal gas tax as states lead effort to lower costs

🔮 Anybody that has that kind of a problem will always be willing to help.”

2026-10-05 · assertive framing · Trump calls reported pneumatic plague outbreak ‘big problem for Russia’: ‘The microbes and the germs have gotten stronger’

Also by Steven Nelson

Trump denies restricting Ukraine’s access to Starlink — despite fingers pointing at White House

2026-10-16 · New York Post

GOP hawks urge Trump to force Putin to make a deal: ‘Need a Churchill’

2026-10-15 · New York Post

New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia under fire as questions emerge about her legal background

2026-10-15 · New York Post

White House investigating Alina Habba’s claim that $6 million donation went missing under Ric Grenell’s leadership at Kennedy Center

2026-10-14 · New York Post

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 36 articles by Steven Nelson →

Claims (18 extracted, 0 hedged)

President Trump said he dined Thursday night with comedian Bill Maher, musician Kid Rock and sports commentator Stephen A. Smith. asserted

he → say → Maher

“I think they had a good time. asserted

they → think → time

We talked about everything, it lasted a long time,” Trump told reporters Friday as he left the White House for a campaign trip to Georgia. asserted

he → talk → Georgia

“Even though they have to sort of put on a certain little facade for their people, they like Trump, and I actually like them. asserted

I → have → them

We had a great time.” asserted

We → have → time

“We even took a little tour of the ballroom. asserted

We → take → ballroom

We went inside the ballroom with beams that are being put up over our heads,” the president added. asserted

president → go → heads

Bill Maher, I tell you what, he likes me a lot more than people understand, and I actually like him.” asserted

I → tell → him

News of the dinner was first reported on social media by the DC bar Madams Organ, which posted photos of Maher and Smith enjoying a live music performance. asserted

Maher → report → performance

“Where did Bill Maher and Stephen A Smith go to celebrate Smith’s Birthday before their dinner date at the White House w His Orangeness? asserted

Maher → go → House

of course they came to enjoy a couple sets from KingPin Blues,” the bar wrote. asserted

bar → come → Blues

Trump called Smith, who has toyed with running for president, a “low IQ individual,” an “arrogant fool” and “dumb as a rock” in June 2026 after the longtime sports commentator criticized Trump’s decision to attend a New York Knicks game. “You need a certain aptitude to run for president. asserted

You → call → president

You need a high IQ. asserted

You → need → IQ

I’m not sure that Stephen has that. asserted

Stephen → ’m → that

I don’t think he does, actually,” the president said at the time. asserted

president → think → time

Maher previously dined with Trump at the White House last year, saying afterward on his HBO show: “A crazy person does not live in the White House. asserted

person → din → House

A person who plays a crazy person on TV a lot lives there. asserted

who → play → TV

Which I know is f–ed up, it’s just not as f–ed up as I thought it was.” asserted

it → know → ?

Trump has ‘great dinner’ and tours White House ballroom with ‘smart people’ Bill Maher and Stephen A. Smith

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Claims (18 extracted, 0 hedged)