During the January 31, 2025 episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, the talk show host defended the sarcastic “You want me to go swimming?” comment President Donald Trump made during a contentious press encounter in the wake of this week’s deadly plane crash site over the Potomac River in Washington D.C.

An American Airlines jet collided with a Blackhawk military helicopter on January 29 near Reagan International Airport, killing 67 people with no survivors. The wreckage of both of the aircraft involved fell into the Potomac, and the search for remains of the victims continues.

After asked by a reporter about his plans to visit the crash site, Trump responded, “I have a plan to visit, not the site. Because you tell me, what’s the site? The water? You want me to go swimming?”

Maher spoke with Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan on the show and supported Trump’s snide response, stating, “Any other politician would go, ‘Of course it was a tragedy.'”

“And he went, ‘It’s the water. What do you want me to do? Swim there?'” continued Maher. “And I was like, exactly. Fuck right. You’re exactly right.”

Maher wrapped up his thoughts on the Oval Office exchange, finishing with, “It’s a stupid question, and you got just the answer you deserved.”

New episodes of Real Time With Bill Maher air Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on Max.