Journalist and author Maria Shriver has launched a scathing public condemnation of former US President Donald Trump over his comments regarding the deaths of her close friends, acclaimed Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer. Shriver, 70, labelled Trump's response 'absolutely disgusting' and devoid of human decency.
A Public Outcry Over 'Inhumane' Commentary
Shriver took to the social media platform X on Monday to defend the Reiner family and denounce what she described as inhumane commentary surrounding the tragedy. The couple were found dead in their $13.5 million Brentwood mansion on Sunday, a shocking event that has left the Hollywood and local community reeling.
'I try to rise above the noise all the time, but this individual has no human decency,' Shriver wrote. 'This goes beyond. It's absolutely disgusting. We should all be horrified and disgusted by this inhumane behavior.'
A longtime friend and neighbour of the Reiners, Shriver described the slain couple as 'good, kind, loving people' and emphasised the deep pain their family is enduring. 'Rob and Michele Reiner were good human beings and good friends to me and countless others,' she continued. 'Their family is in deep, unimaginable pain. What kind of human being would share a statement like this, much less a president?'
Trump's Controversial Remarks and Family Tragedy
Shriver's comments came after Trump, when questioned by reporters, declined to offer condolences. Instead, he defended a social media post on Truth Social in which he appeared to blame the killings on the liberal director's 'Trump Derangement Syndrome'.
'Well I wasn't a fan of his at all,' Trump said of Reiner. 'He was a deranged person, as far as Trump is concerned.' In his earlier post, Trump wrote that Reiner, a 'once very talented movie director and comedy star,' passed away, 'reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction.'
Shriver said she felt compelled to speak out despite believing her late friends would have urged restraint. 'Rob and Michele would tell me to just ignore him, but I can't. I just can't,' she wrote. 'They deserve so much better, as does their family.'
A Deeply Personal Loss and Ongoing Investigation
Earlier on Monday, Shriver shared a separate, deeply personal tribute, revealing the two couples had shared dinner just days before the deaths. 'We had dinner this past week, and they were in the best place in their lives: loving one another, loving their friends, their family, their country,' she wrote.
The tribute came as authorities confirmed the couple's 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, has been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with their deaths. He is being held without bail and faces a maximum sentence of life without parole or the death penalty if convicted.
It has since been reported that Nick had attended a holiday party at Conan O'Brien's house with his parents, where witnesses say he got into a 'very loud argument' with them. The family had reportedly been dealing with Nick's spiraling mental illness and drug issues for months.
Nick Reiner has spoken publicly in the past about extensive struggles with addiction, including a 2018 podcast appearance where he said he had been to rehab 17 times by age 22. He and his father later collaborated on the semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie about addiction and family strain.
Rob Reiner, 78, was known for directing iconic films such as Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally. The family has requested privacy, stating: 'It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss.'
