White House Tried to Block Bill Maher's Mark Twain Prize — Called It "Fake News"
After reporters revealed Bill Maher was chosen for the Mark Twain Prize, the White House called the Kennedy Center to block the award. Press Secretary called it "fake news." The Kennedy Center defied the White House and gave Maher the prize anyway.
When The Atlantic reported that the Kennedy Center's honors committee had selected Bill Maher for the 2026 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor — one of comedy's highest honors — the White House moved within hours to block it.
The sequence:
- The Atlantic reported Maher was selected, citing several people familiar with the decision
- Within hours, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement: "This is fake news. Bill Maher will NOT be getting this award."
- Communications Director Steven Cheung posted on X that the story was "literally FAKE NEWS"
- The White House called the Kennedy Center to make clear that Maher would not receive the award
- A Kennedy Center staffer described "a sudden change of plans"
But the Kennedy Center — which Trump had already controversially renamed after himself — defied the White House and announced on March 26 that Maher would receive the prize after all, to be presented on June 28 before the center closes for a two-year renovation.
The incident revealed the Trump White House's instinct to control cultural institutions: the president's team attempted to dictate who receives a humor award at a performing arts center they had already slapped his name on. The fact that they called confirmed reporting "fake news" — then tried to make it so by pressuring the institution — captured the administration's relationship with truth in miniature.
Maher responded: "Him trying to block me from getting it — I respect the move. Keep the game going, baby."