HBO host Bill Maher flustered Senator Adam Schiff by reading a quotation Schiff had condemned as the president’s that actually came from Barack Obama.
Schiff appeared on the Friday episode to debate the conflict in Iran and accused the president of illegally launching the war.
Many Democrats, including Schiff, have backed a War Powers Resolution designed to limit the president’s authority to conduct military operations.
During the panel Maher questioned the scope of executive power and read a passage about the president’s constitutional authority to use force when he reasonably determines it is in the national interest.
Schiff answered that the wording was “totally vague” before Maher revealed the quotation’s provenance.
Maher then disclosed the excerpt came from the Obama administration’s 2011 justification for intervention in Libya.
The Obama White House used that rationale to defend NATO-led airstrikes aimed at protecting civilians during Libya’s civil war and argued the operations did not amount to “hostilities” under the War Powers Resolution.
Adam Schiff falls right into Bill Maher’s trap as he criticizes a statement he thought was from Trump but was actually from Obama.
MAHER: “This statement from the administration: ‘The president had the constitutional authority to direct the use of military force because he could… pic.twitter.com/5jg3wpdAQZ
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) March 7, 2026
After the disclosure Schiff tried to pivot by citing another example involving Syria and concerns about congressional backing.
He said Obama had argued he could act in Syria without authorization but ultimately did not move against Assad because he feared losing a congressional vote.
Schiff’s response avoided addressing the unilateral Libyan action that Maher had highlighted.
The exchange took place shortly after a War Powers Resolution meant to curtail the president’s military authority failed to advance out of committee.
All Democrats with the exception of Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) voted against the resolution while Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), one of the measure’s co-sponsors, was the lone Republican vote in favor.
