Maher knocks democratic socialists as communists: 'They’re not trying to hide it'
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Maher knocks democratic socialists as communists: ‘They’re not trying to hide it’ Political commentator Bill Maher attacked the rise of democratic socialism on his talk show, fretting how the movement has entered the Democratic party. During his HBO show “Real Time” on Friday, Maher criticized democratic socialism and the organization behind it Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) for its likeness to “communism.” “Not a week goes by where I don’t read about some newly chosen excited new face in the Democratic party and then when that face opens its mouth the Communist Manifesto or some other crazy s- – – comes out,” he continued. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D), who had seen his endorsed candidates win Democratic nominations in three races for New York congressional seats, as well as for five state legislature positions in Albany, was highlighted by Maher. “We’re out to transform society in a very basic way across the board, but we want to do it with everybody making decisions together as much as possible,” Ashik Siddique, co-chair of DSA, told The Hill in a June interview. On its website, the DSA describes democratic socialism as “a system where ordinary people have a real voice in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and society” and outlines a push for collective ownership of “key economic drivers that dominate our lives.” Maher expressed how his vote would be “in play” because of how far left he has seen the Democratic party go. He continued to compare DSA to communism, saying “five years ago, [the Democratic Party] shunned communists. That changed. Things change.” Maher’s comments echo President Trump, who has also compared democratic socialism to communism in remarks to reporters at the Oval Office in June. “I think it’s the biggest threat to our nation there is, maybe since our founding,” he said. “Yes, my vote is in play. I’m not voting for anyone who thinks the wrong side won the Cold War or cheers for the Intifada like it’s the World Cup,” Maher concluded. Most Americans said they would not support a democratic socialist presidential candidate according to a poll done by Washington Post-Ipsos. It reported 55 percent of respondents said they wouldn’t “consider” casting their ballot for a self-identified democratic socialist presidential candidate, while 39 percent said the opposite and 6 percent did not respond. Still, Mamdani believes a democratic socialist could become president of the United States, saying in an interview with ABC’s “This Week” that he believed, “a democratic socialist can get elected anywhere across this country for any position.” Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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