Bill Maher sparred heatedly with Representative Ro Khanna during the latest episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher,” taking issue with the congressman’s praise of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The tense exchange erupted after Khanna attempted to paint Mamdani as a unifying political figure, as reported by The New York Post.

Maher, however, quickly pushed back, accusing the socialist mayor of having ties to extremists. The talk show host bluntly declared that Mamdani “pals around with terrorists,” a remark that instantly changed the tone of the discussion.

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The confrontation began when Maher asked Khanna whether he considered Mamdani “a great one.” Khanna responded enthusiastically, pointing to Mamdani’s spirited speech at the Knicks’ championship parade.

“I do, I mean, did you see his Knicks speech?” Khanna said. He praised the address for its uplifting message about community and togetherness.

But Maher was unimpressed, calling attention to what he considered a much more troubling issue from the same day.

Maher referenced comments Mamdani made hours later at a Brooklyn campaign rally, where the mayor reportedly called the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and its supporters “monsters.”

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Those remarks had drawn strong backlash from the Jewish community, with some accusing the mayor of inciting hostility.

As Khanna continued defending Mamdani’s parade speech, noting that it celebrated unity across political and social divides, Maher interrupted with disbelief.

“Who gives a s–t about the Knicks? He’s the mayor of New York,” he shot back, dismissing the idea that a sports speech erased broader concerns.

Khanna persisted, arguing that Mamdani’s remarks were about building bridges, saying the mayor “made something bigger about it.”

The congressman suggested that the speech resonated across divides, including among both Trump and Mamdani voters.

But Maher dug in, raising criticisms beyond Mamdani’s rhetoric. He invoked Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, referencing her social media activity earlier this year.

Maher claimed that Duwaji had liked a February 2024 post that downplayed reports of sexual assault by Hamas on October 7, calling it a “mass hoax.”

Maher’s condemnation was blunt: “Well, it doesn’t make me forget that his wife loved [the] Oct. 7 attack on Israel and that he pals around with terrorists,” he said, his tone sharp and unyielding.

He also reminded viewers of another controversy surrounding Mamdani’s public appearances.

In October, Mamdani was criticized for participating in a photo opportunity with Brooklyn imam Siraj Wahhaj, a religious leader previously linked in reports to extremist rhetoric about jihad.

Khanna dismissed Maher’s pointed remarks, steering the conversation back toward engagement and dialogue. He asked whether Mamdani had ever appeared on Maher’s show.

The host replied that invitations to similar political figures were often turned down.

“We ask people like that, Ro, they never come,” Maher said, voicing frustration that many left-leaning politicians avoid tough interviews.

Khanna then promised to reach out to Mamdani on Maher’s behalf. “I’ll talk to him,” he offered. Maher ended the exchange on a lighter note: “I would love that.”

Bill Maher eviscerates Zohran Mamdani: to Ro Khanna: “Who gives a sh*t about the Knicks?! He’s the mayor of New York! His wife loved the October 7th attack on Israel and he pals around with terrorists.” pic.twitter.com/4lSBPXhXaW

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) June 21, 2026

Despite the momentary civility, the exchange underscored the deep divide between the two men’s views. Khanna sought to defend Mamdani as a symbol of inclusion, while Maher hammered at allegations of hypocrisy and radical associations.

The fiery back-and-forth was emblematic of “Real Time’s” confrontational style, where political guests often face challenging questions, and few topics are off limits.

The discussion concluded with neither side backing down, leaving the audience with a vivid snapshot of how polarized debates around Israel and political rhetoric have become.