On the Nov. 7, 2025 episode of HBO’s Real Time, comedian Bill Maher criticized coverage of President Donald Trump’s White House renovations — notably the new ballroom following East Wing demolition — arguing the story was overhyped and noting that large state dinners are often hosted in temporary tents.
Maher used Friday’s show to mock what he called sensational framing of Trump’s ballroom project. “I really don’t give a shit. It shows you how the media is,” he said, adding that the White House is “just a building” that sometimes needs updates and pointing out that recent administrations have resorted to temporary tents for big events. He made the remarks during a panel with Bill O’Reilly and Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.). (mediaite.com)
The ballroom is part of a larger overhaul centered on the East Wing. The White House announced in July that work on a roughly 90,000‑square‑foot facility would begin in September, with the project described as privately funded and expected to be completed well before January 2029. Separate coverage has noted that demolition to prepare the site proceeded as plans for the “vertical build” await review by the National Capital Planning Commission. (reuters.com)
Maher’s aside about state dinners tracks with recent practice: when guest lists outgrow indoor rooms, administrations have hosted under temporary pavilions on the South Lawn — including the Bidens’ dinners for France in 2022 and India in 2023. (washingtonpost.com)
The host also jokingly contrasted Washington’s speed with his own red tape, quipping in late October that he was “kind of jealous” of how quickly the East Wing teardown advanced and riffing that presidents once sought more formal approval for changes. Those comments aired Oct. 24–25 and were widely circulated after the episode. (newsweek.com)
Renovations have extended beyond the ballroom. On Oct. 31, Trump unveiled a remodel of the Lincoln Bedroom’s bathroom, saying the green Art Deco tile — which he attributed to a 1940s-era redo — had been replaced with black-and-white polished statuary marble. Reporting has tied the green tile to a Truman‑era renovation commonly dated to the 1950s, a point preservationists raised while debating historical fidelity. (reuters.com)
Friday’s Real Time episode listed country singer Kenny Chesney, O’Reilly and Moskowitz as guests; the broadcast originally aired Nov. 7. (podcasts.apple.com)