“Real Time” host Bill Maher mixes carbon dioxide while mocking Doug Burgum appears to have mistakenly mixed carbon dioxide with carbon monoxide in an attempt to mock Interior Secretary Doug Burgum for deregulation.
On his show Friday, Maher commented on the Trump administration’s decision to roll back Obama-era greenhouse gas regulations, calling it “the biggest id— in American history” and omitting Burgum by name.
“Doug Burgum, you’re the secretary of the interior,” Maher said. “Listen to this, the way they’re all following behind this nonsense. He said, CO2, carbon, wasn’t a dirty thing. He said when we breathe, we exhale CO2. Okay, Doug, you know what? Let’s try this little experiment. Tonight, when you get home, go into the garage, close the door, open the car, and let’s see if it’s very dirty carbon, very dirty carbon?
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“Real Time” host Bill Maher attacked Interior Secretary Doug Burgum for his support for rolling back environmental regulations. (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)
Although Maher said Burgum was supporting “nonsense,” many social media users pointed out that carbon monoxide, produced by car exhaust, is not the same as carbon monoxide.
“I usually like Bill Maher, but trying to fire someone for denying climate change when I don’t understand the difference between carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide pretty much sums up the poor sense of morality on the left,” wrote Outkick writer Ian Miller.
Meteorologist Chris Martz commented, “I really like Bill Maher, but someone needs to explain to him the difference between the relatively harmless carbon dioxide (CO₂) and the toxic carbon monoxide (CO). Also, I’d be happy to argue with Maher about climate change. I’ve flown to LA and I’ll be there.”
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US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin look on as US President Donald Trump signs an order directing the military to buy electricity from coal-fired power plants during the “Champion of Coal” event at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 11, 2026. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
“Different carbon, different effect, CO = deadly CO2 = plant food / emitted by all breathing animals,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote.
Fox News Digital has reached out to “Real Time” for comment.
Burgum’s office, the US Department of the Interior, referred to President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post on Maher’s show when reached for comment.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director Lee Zeldin announced Thursday that he will rescind the “2009 Obama EPA Endangerment Finding,” which established many standards for greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.
The 2009 finding previously stated that carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and three other greenhouse gases “endanger the public health and well-being of present and future generations” under the Clean Air Act.
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Many social media users have pointed out that carbon monoxide, which is found in emissions, is different from carbon dioxide. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Burgum expressed his support for this decision in a comment in the Wall Street Journal.
“More energy promotes human growth,” Burgum said. “Energy abundance is something we should be focusing on, not controlling certain types of energy.”
Bill Maher mixes carbon dioxide while mocking Doug Burgum
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Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
