Former US President Donald Trump has sparked outrage by appearing to blame the brutal murders of legendary Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, on the filmmaker's political opposition to him, which he labelled 'Trump Derangement Syndrome'.
A Vicious Double Homicide in Los Angeles
Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele were found stabbed to death inside their $13.5 million Los Angeles mansion on Sunday afternoon. The grim discovery was reportedly made by their daughter, Romy, 28, who lives across the street from the couple's six-bedroom estate.
Police sources have told the Daily Mail that the incident is being treated as a double homicide. The couple's 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, a screenwriter with a history of drug addiction and homelessness, is in custody and has been booked on murder charges. It is alleged the couple had their throats slit following a heated argument with a relative, understood to be Nick.
Trump's Controversial Truth Social Post
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump broke his silence on the tragedy with a vicious statement. He referred to Reiner as a 'once very talented movie director and comedy star' who had 'reportedly' died due to 'the anger he caused others'.
Trump attributed this to Reiner's 'massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease' known as TDS, or Trump Derangement Syndrome. This term, used by some on the political right, describes an alleged irrational hatred of the former president.
'He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump,' Trump's post continued, claiming Reiner's 'obvious paranoia' increased as his administration 'surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness'.
A History of Political Advocacy and Feud
The attack highlights Trump's well-documented tendency to attack public figures after their deaths, having previously ridiculed the late Senator John McCain and General Colin Powell.
Rob Reiner was a lifelong supporter of liberal causes and Democratic candidates, from Hillary Clinton to Joe Biden. He was a vocal and persistent critic of Trump, calling him 'mentally unfit' and 'the single most unqualified human being to ever assume the presidency' in a 2017 interview.
Just months before his death, Reiner reportedly erupted at a Los Angeles watch party following President Biden's disastrous debate performance against Trump, warning that America risked 'losing our democracy'.
An Outpouring of Grief from the Political Left
The couple's shocking deaths have prompted an outpouring of tributes from prominent Democrats. California Governor Gavin Newsom led the condolences, describing Reiner as a 'big-hearted genius' whose 'boundless empathy made his stories timeless'.
He praised Reiner's advocacy on issues from early childhood education and civil rights to taking on 'Big Tobacco' and fighting for marriage equality. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the news 'devastating', remembering Reiner as 'creative, funny and beloved' and a 'champion for the First Amendment'.
Former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris also paid tribute on X, stating that Reiner's work 'impacted generations of Americans' and that he 'fought for America's democracy'.
Rob Reiner leaves behind an iconic filmography that defined a generation, including classics such as Stand By Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally (1989), and A Few Good Men (1992). The investigation into the murders of him and his wife continues.
