Trump sparks outrage with post mocking Rob Reiner’s death

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

President Donald Trump ignited a firestorm of criticism on Monday with a provocative Truth Social post addressing the tragic deaths of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, who were found stabbed to death in their Brentwood home on Sunday.

In the post, Trump described the incident as “a very sad thing” but quickly pivoted to a highly personal attack, attributing the couple’s deaths to Reiner’s longstanding vocal opposition to him.

The president wrote: “A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS.

“He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before. May Rob and Michele rest in peace!”

The statement, which appeared to suggest that Reiner’s political views somehow provoked his own murder, drew swift condemnation from across the political spectrum for politicizing a violent family tragedy while the investigation remains ongoing.

Democratic leaders and Hollywood figures were particularly vocal. Former President Barack Obama, who had earlier expressed heartbreak over the loss, did not directly respond to Trump’s post, but allies described it as “devoid of basic human decency.” Author Stephen King, a frequent collaborator with Reiner, called the remarks “disgusting and depraved.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who mourned Reiner as a champion of social justice, echoed widespread sentiment that the president’s words were insensitive at a time of profound grief.

Even some Republican commentators expressed discomfort, with one anonymous source telling media outlets that the post risked alienating moderates by injecting partisanship into a non-political crime.

Reiner, 78, was a prominent liberal activist and one of Trump’s most persistent critics in Hollywood, often using social media to denounce the president’s policies.

He deleted his X account shortly after Trump’s 2024 reelection victory. Trump has long used the term “Trump Derangement Syndrome” to dismiss critics as irrational.

The Los Angeles Police Department continues to investigate the deaths as a homicide, with reports indicating the couple suffered fatal stab wounds.

Sources close to the family, speaking to outlets like People and The New York Times, allege that the Reiners’ son, Nick Reiner, 32, who has publicly discussed past struggles with substance abuse, is in custody and under questioning.