Bill Maher, host of HBO’s popular talk show, launched a scathing critique of President Donald Trump, accusing him of diverting attention to a personal feud during a critical time for the nation. The U.S. is currently embroiled in conflict with Iran, and Maher expressed disbelief over Trump’s fixation on their ongoing spat.

Maher, 70, lambasted the president, 79, for unleashing a series of hostile social media posts targeting him, even as updates on the war with Iran were being communicated to the American public.

On Friday morning, Trump announced via social media that the U.S. military actions against Iran would persist until the nation yielded. Just an hour later, he shifted focus, launching into an eight-post tirade against Maher.

“An hour later, eight posts about me,” Maher remarked during his Friday night show, emphasizing his amazement at the timing. “I’m not joking, an hour later.”

Maher noted that the president returned to discussing the war only 15 minutes after his social media barrage against him.

Trump’s posts included links to articles highlighting moments when he labeled Maher as a “jerk” and accused the comedian of having “ZERO confidence in himself.” Trump also disparaged Maher’s show and dismissed a past White House dinner with Maher as a “waste of time.”

Maher admitted he was confused by the barrage of posts about him on Friday, saying it was ‘getting weird.’ 

‘Thank God I didn’t spend the night,’ he joked about his presidential dinner. 

Bill Maher criticized Donald Trump for posting a barrage of messages about him on Truth Social in the middle of updating the American people about the Iranian war 

Trump posted several news links about Maher, where he called him a ‘jerk’ and and said the comedian had ‘ZERO confidence in himself’

He also criticized Maher’s show and said his White House dinner with him was a ‘waste of time’

He also reiterated that he was one of the ‘few people on your enemies list who’s backing you on this.’ 

‘Sort of, we’ll see,’ Maher said. He stated he was fine with the president’s antics right now, but would pull his support if Trump put ‘boots on the ground.’ 

Tensions between Maher and Trump go back years, including when the Republican sued the comedian for $5million for a joke he made on The Tonight Show in 2013. 

Maher jokingly said he would donate the large sum of money to a charity of Trump’s choice if the politician could provide proof he was not a ‘spawn of his mother having sex with an orangutan.’ 

Months later, Trump withdrew the lawsuit. 

In February this year, Maher did a one-minute bit on his show about Trump’s Truth Social post about Canada treating the US unfairly and claimed the country was looking to do a deal with China. 

‘The first thing China will do is terminate all ice hockey,’ Trump had written. 

‘What the f**k is he talking about? What, what, what?’ Maher asked his audience. ‘I can usually suss out something in this, I don’t know where, why will China, why would China take over, destroy hockey?’ 

Tensions between the two go back to 2013, when Trump sued Maher for $5million over a joke. He later withdrew the lawsuit 

Maher accused Trump of habing ‘Bill Maher Derangement Syndrome’ and said he was one of the few of Trump’s ‘enemies’ that is ‘still an honest broker when it comes to you’ 

Hours later, Trump took shots at Maher in a lengthy post, saying the HBO host’s show is ‘very boring’ and ‘anti-Trump.’ 

Maher shot back, saying: ‘And then I’m a jerk, and I’m at low ratings, lightweight, and all this s**t. Because I never stopped criticizing him. I never said I would.

‘And I know how women feel now. A guy buys you dinner and then expects you to put out. Okay? I’m not that guy. And of course, he accused me of having Trump Derangement Syndrome.’ 

On Friday, during his New Rules segment, he reiterated that he didn’t have the syndrome, but that Trump has ‘Bill Maher Derangement Syndrome.’ 

He also said Trump’s lengthy post about him in February was untrue. 

‘I don’t know how they got in there. It’s not like the president to just make things up when he’s mad,’ he joked. 

‘I may be the last person from the lunatic left that is still an honest broker when it comes to you… It’s a shame you can’t take criticism.’