Bill Maher concedes error on Trump’s tariff impact

Well, color me shocked—Bill Maher, the ever-vocal liberal comedian, has publicly eaten crow over his dire predictions about President Donald Trump’s tariffs sinking the U.S. economy.

Maher, on his "Club Random" podcast posted Monday, admitted he misjudged the economic fallout of Trump’s trade policies, while the stock market soars to record highs and everyday Americans seem unfazed by any hint of depression.

Let’s rewind a bit to earlier this year when Maher was sounding the alarm.

Maher’s past criticism of Trump’s policies

In March, Maher scoffed at Trump’s push to revive American manufacturing, calling it a relic of the 1970s and questioning who would even take those jobs—robots, naturally.

“Why do we want to bring back manufacturing?” Maher quipped back then, dismissing the idea as outdated while Trump pressed forward with his vision to rebalance trade.

Fast forward to April, and Maher was at it again, accusing Trump of picking a fight with the wrong global player in China, even suggesting he hoped for a recession to force a policy U-turn.

Tariffs roll out despite dire warnings

Meanwhile, Trump didn’t flinch, slapping tariffs on countries worldwide to correct what he sees as unfair trade deals, undeterred by the naysayers.

Maher, along with many critics, confidently predicted economic doom by mid-year, expecting the tariffs to tank the economy faster than you can say “trade war.”

But as Maher himself now admits, that collapse never came, and the numbers—and everyday life—tell a different story.

Maher admits he was wrong

On Monday’s podcast with progressive YouTube host Brian Tyler Cohen, Maher owned up to his misstep, saying, “I’ve got to own it.”

He confessed that he thought tariffs would “sink this economy” by now, but instead, he’s driving around seeing people living their lives, not wallowing in despair.

“The stock market is at record highs,” Maher noted, a far cry from the depression he expected, forcing even the staunchest critics to pause and reassess.

Reality check on trade and tariffs

Let’s not pretend tariffs are a magic wand, but Maher’s about-face highlights a truth too often ignored by the progressive crowd: sometimes, bold moves pay off.

Sunday’s announcement of a trade deal with the European Union, setting a 15-percent tariff on most EU goods imported to the U.S., alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, shows Trump’s strategy is more than just bluster—it’s a negotiation with teeth.

Turns out, standing up for American interests doesn’t automatically spell disaster, and Maher’s grudging admission is a reminder that reality doesn’t always bend to ideological talking points.