Hollywood figures, politicians, and media personalities expressed shock and condemnation after US President Donald Trump posted a controversial message on Truth Social. The message appeared to mock the deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Reiner.
Police discovered the couple stabbed to death at their Los Angeles home on Sunday. Officers arrested their son, Nick Reiner, 32, in connection with the killings.
In his post, President Trump referred to what he called Rob Reiner’s “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Critics widely condemned the remark as insensitive and inflammatory, given the circumstances of the deaths.
The post triggered immediate backlash across social media and television platforms. Critics accused the president of politicising a family tragedy.
British broadcaster Piers Morgan wrote on X, “This is a dreadful thing to say about a man who his troubled son just murdered. Delete it, Mr President.” Actor Patrick Schwarzenegger described the comment as “disgusting and vile.”
'Crosses every line of basic human decency!'
Trump slams the late Rob Reiner and Tony Abbot discusses the horrific Bondi Beach terror attack.
Just dropped 👇
📺 https://t.co/X5yl2H77LY@piersmorgan | @CenkUygur | @JillianMichaels | @WajahatAli | @emilyraustin | @HonTonyAbbott pic.twitter.com/EQAQ5co773
— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) December 15, 2025During an emotional segment on The View, Whoopi Goldberg paid tribute to Reiner’s career and condemned Trump’s remarks. “He was an outspoken activist and an extraordinary filmmaker,” Goldberg said. “Have you no shame? Can you get any lower?”
Comedian Bridget Phetasy added that Trump himself embodied the behaviour he mocked. At the same time, actor Rob Schneider, a known Trump supporter, expressed sorrow over Reiner’s death. He urged respect for his legacy. Several Republican lawmakers distanced themselves from the president’s comments.
Despite backlash from the right, Trump stood by his callous remarks regarding the deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele.
Early Monday, Trump issued an ugly rant on his Truth Social platform. He derided Rob and attributed his death “to the anger he caused others through his… pic.twitter.com/Wd45wkspRw
— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) December 16, 2025Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie called the remarks “inappropriate and disrespectful.” At the same time, Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon said he would expect such language “from a drunk guy at a bar, not the President of the United States.”
Former Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene urged restraint. She said the case reflected a devastating family tragedy involving mental health and addiction, not politics.
Rob Reiner directed some of Hollywood’s most enduring films, including Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, and A Few Good Men. Michele Reiner, a photographer, also worked on Trump’s book The Art of the Deal earlier in her career.
