Bill Maher has come up with a fresh concept for a new show: “The Real Housewives of the White House.”
Opening the most recent Real Time episode, the TV show host presented his interpretation of the heated exchange that occurred that day involving President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
During his monologue, Maher made light of the situation, jokingly asking about the state of affairs in the world before referencing the ongoing tensions. The audience responded with laughter as Maher sarcastically mentioned being on the verge of World War 3.
The altercation transpired at a meeting in the Oval Office, where discussions initially revolved around a minerals agreement. Trump suggested that the deal could play a pivotal role in resolving the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. However, the atmosphere turned confrontational, with reports stating that Trump spent the final part of the meeting rebuking Zelensky.
“You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have,” Trump told Zelensky. The Associated Press also noted that Zelensky’s goal in the meeting was to urge Trump not to abandon Ukraine and to caution against getting too close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Before airing a clip of the heated exchange on Real Time, Maher introduced it by saying, “It turned into a shouting match, which I’m sure Trump thinks is great for TV.” That’s when he humorously dubbed the situation “The Real Housewives of the White House.”
Later in the episode, Maher spoke with former White House Chief of Staff and Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel, as well as CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, to discuss the fiery confrontation.
Zakaria remarked, “It’s funny, but really tragic, to see the president and the vice president bully, berate, and demean someone who relies on the United States for its survival.” He added, “For the past century, America’s foreign policy has been clear: we’ve been on the side of the victims of aggression, supporting democracies against dictators and aggressors.”
He went on, “To see this bizarre moral reversal… listening to Trump, it’s obvious he feels far more at ease and sympathetic with Vladimir Putin.”
Emanuel echoed Zakaria’s thoughts, stating, “This approach won’t resonate with the American people.”
He continued, “For years, American foreign policy has been defined by internationalism versus isolationism. Now, we’re seeing a policy driven by either principles or predatory motives. I don’t think the American public will want to identify with the notion that we’re willing to trade for minerals or take Greenland for a price. That’s not the image Americans have of themselves, especially when it’s being handled this way.”
Also featured on the show was Chrystia Freeland, the former Canadian Finance Minister and Liberal leadership contender.
You can watch a clip from the episode’s Overtime segment with Emanuel and Zakaria above.
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