Bill Maher and Stephen A. Smith recently shared their perspectives on why Donald Trump gained increased support among Black voters during the latest presidential election cycle.
During an in-depth conversation on Maher’s Club Random Podcast, the two media figures analyzed how Trump’s rhetoric resonates with voters of color.
“You know what I think Black people think about Trump? Is he a racist? Yeah, but they think every white person is kind of a racist. Do they think white people, behind closed doors, talk like Trump?” said Maher, host of HBO’s Real Time.
“That right there!” Smith replied. “That second part is very, very important.”
Smith, who frequently appears on ESPN, clarified that while he doesn’t assume all white people are racist, there’s a shared understanding among Black Americans that white individuals often have a different lived experience.
“When you talk about how Trump talks, we’re going like this: ‘So that’s the first time he talked like that? When he became president?’” Smith said. “We know better than that. We know better than that.
“We know that ain’t the first time, and we know that the people he was friends with all these years, he talked just like that around y’all, and y’all didn’t have no problem with it. Don’t act like you have a problem with it now.”
Nationally, Trump made significant inroads with Black voters during this election, particularly among Black men. According to The Associated Press, nearly 30% of Black men under 45 voted for him—almost double the share from 2020. His support among Hispanic voters also increased.
Although Trump has faced accusations of using racist or offensive language, many voters prioritized issues such as the economy, immigration, and housing over these concerns.
Maher has criticized Democrats for not addressing the core needs of voters, arguing they focus too heavily on demographics.
“I don’t think his motivation is ‘I don’t like Black people.’ I think his motivation is ‘everybody must love me,’” Maher said.
Smith echoed Maher’s frustration and expressed dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party’s approach to voter engagement.
“The Democrats have gotten on my last damn nerve. If it wasn’t for Trump, I would have voted Republican because I’m so sick of how they are,” Smith said. “It’s always about the other side and engaging in demagoguery for you to get my vote as opposed to really articulating what you’re bringing to the table to offer me.”
You can watch Maher’s latest Club Random Podcast episode with Steven A. Smith above. There was no new episode of Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO this week, but the show will return next Friday, December 6 on HBO.
