U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) plunged headlong into a stunning trap set by “Real Time” host Bill Maher.
During a discussion of President Donald Trump’s military operations in Iran, Maher set up the Democratic lawmaker with a quote from “the administration” on war powers. But the joke was on Schiff, who didn’t realize Maher was quoting Barack Obama’s administration and its military operations in Libya.
“This statement from the administration,” Maher said to Schiff. “‘The president had the constitutional authority to direct the use of military force because he could reasonably determine that such use of force was in the national interest.’ That’s too vague for you?”
“Totally vague,” the California Democrat replied.
🚨 BILL MAHER: From the admin: The president had the constitutional authority to direct military force because he could reasonably determine that such force was in the national interest.
SCHIFF: TOTALLY vague!
MAHER: That’s Obama about Libya.
OMG. 😭🤡pic.twitter.com/cys3mpzOng
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 7, 2026
Maher then dropped the mic.
“Okay. Because that’s from Obama about Libya,” he informed the senator, referring to the 2011 press release from Obama’s Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel.
“The President had the constitutional authority to direct the use of military force in Libya because he could reasonably determine that such use of force was in the national interest,” the release read at the time.
Schiff plowed ahead in an effort to regain himself, shifting the focus to Syria.
“Well, Obama made the argument, initially, that he could go into Syria without authorization,” he said. “I and many others pushed back on that argument. Ultimately, he did not go forward with going after [former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad], even though Assad was gassing his own people, because he thought he may lose the vote in Congress.”
“But I respect the fact that — that was important to him, and the fact that he did not have the support of Congress meant that we weren’t going to go forward,” Schiff continued.
He then moved on to predictably criticize Trump and the current operation in Iran, contending that “we are unquestionably at war now.”
“After Venezuela, after the earlier Iran conflict, after bombing Nigeria and Iraq and Syria, [Trump’s] grown too fond of this,” he claimed. “And Congress… needs to step up, assert its role, or it’s going to be gone for good, and then anytime a president, for any reason, anywhere in the world, for any length of time, will feel free to make war. And that would be hugely dangerous for the country.”
Social media users reacted to Maher’s setup of the senator and the “flip-flop” response.
Nicely done, Bill Maher. Exposing their hypocrisy.
— B B (@Bloomster219) March 7, 2026
Boy did Schiff back peddle fast!
— Apu’sFanGirl 💚 (@PepesFanGirl) March 7, 2026
It is always wild watching people flip-flop on the exact same argument the second they realize which “side” said it.
— Eshani Verma (@eshaniverma809) March 8, 2026
Love that Maher did this. We need more of this. Would love to see how many Dems can get called out for flip flopping only because it’s Trump.
— ImaDOGEyGirl (@ImaDOGEyGirl) March 7, 2026
Pencil neck is so adept at lying, that he instantly went from agreeing with Bill to defending Obama without a breath…
Its liars like this that make our government suck!!!
— Steven Neal (@radar4ever) March 7, 2026
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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