Bill Maher: Left ‘can’t stand to talk’ amid Kushner-Jeffries flap

Bill Maher used Friday’s episode of HBO’s “Real Time” to revive his running critique of the Democratic Party’s willingness to engage political opponents, telling his panel that “it is always the left that can’t stand to talk” to people they disagree with, according to a Breitbart clip of the broadcast.

The remark came as Mr. Maher’s panel — Rep. Byron Donalds, Florida’s Republican nominee for governor, and liberal writer Molly Jong-Fast — discussed the fallout from a private meeting between Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Mr. Donalds argued that “Republicans aren’t freaking out that Jared had a meeting with Hakeem,” framing the outrage as one-sided. Mr. Maher agreed, cutting in with his line about the left.

The Kushner-Jeffries meeting, first reported by The New York Times and centered on housing, immigration and cost-of-living issues, has drawn sharp blowback from progressives who argue Mr. Jeffries should not be engaging with Trump-aligned figures at all. Mr. Jeffries has defended the sit-down, saying Mr. Kushner “asked for a meeting, and I took it, to discuss the affordability crisis.” Democratic strategist James Carville was among the most vocal critics, telling Mr. Jeffries on a podcast this week that “we don’t meet with them,” referring to Mr. Trump’s inner circle — a line Mr. Donalds appeared to reference directly on Mr. Maher’s show (“you just said Carville, Bill”).

Friday’s panel appearance marked Mr. Donalds’ first documented “Real Time” appearance of the current season, according to the show’s published Season 24 guest list. He last joined the program on Feb. 7, 2025, alongside Chris Hayes and Tara Palmeri — an appearance in which Mr. Maher pushed back sharply on him over Mr. Trump’s actions rather than finding consistent agreement.