On Friday, August 2, 2026, HBO host Bill Maher stunned his Real Time audience by asserting that the Democratic Party is being taken over by communists. Maher used the closing segment of the show to argue that the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have openly embraced communism, citing statements from DSA figures and candidates.

Maher pointed to the DSA platform’s borrowing from Karl Marx and highlighted that New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani once posted Marx’s words directly. He also referenced a faction within the DSA called the Marxist Unity Group, which Maher said now holds influence inside the organization and describes its aim as a classless society—"in a word, communism."

Responding to President Donald Trump’s labeling of the DSA as communist, Maher stated, “Donald Trump has told one trillion lies, but when he says the Democratic Socialists of America are actually communist, that’s not one of them.”

Maher framed this ideological shift as a takeover of the Democratic Party, saying, “You know what’s being colonized now? The Democratic Party.” He first indicated his shifting political loyalty during a June exchange with Vice President JD Vance and later expanded on it in an interview with ABC’s Jonathan Karl, as reported by The Washington Times.

Additionally, former Florida prosecutor Dave Aronberg warned Fox News that the rise of the DSA could erode Democratic support in the upcoming November elections.

Maher’s remarks and the audience’s stunned reaction highlight ongoing debates about the direction of the Democratic Party and the influence of socialist factions within it.

Sources