Podcasting heavyweight Joe Rogan has publicly condemned former US President Donald Trump for his controversial reaction to the brutal murders of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele. Rogan labelled Trump's lengthy social media post, which mocked the deceased filmmaker, as showing a complete lack of empathy.
Trump's Controversial Truth Social Post
On his popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the 58-year-old UFC commentator addressed the post Trump made on Truth Social following the grim discovery on December 14. The bodies of Reiner, 78, and his 70-year-old wife were found fatally stabbed in their bed at their Brentwood, Los Angeles mansion. Their deaths were swiftly ruled homicides, and their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, was arrested in connection with the crime.
Despite the tragic circumstances, Trump used the platform to declare that the director had succumbed to 'Trump derangement syndrome,' a term he often employs to criticise opponents. Rogan, discussing the matter with comedian guest Shane Gillis, 38, during the Christmas Day episode, was unequivocal in his disapproval.
'No Justification' in a Compassionate Society
'The Rob Reiner thing is not funny,' Rogan stated plainly. He expressed dismay at seeing 'no empathy' from Trump, who seized the moment to ridicule Reiner's well-known left-leaning political activism. 'There's no justification for what he did that makes any sense in a compassionate society,' Rogan asserted.
He drew a stark parallel, suggesting Trump's mockery was 'no different than people celebrating when Charlie Kirk got shot,' referencing the fatal shooting of the Turning Point USA co-founder at a Utah university in September. Rogan then posed a hypothetical, asking Gillis to imagine the outcry if former President Barack Obama had acted with similar brazenness following a rival's death.
Reiner's History of Anti-Trump Activism
As Rogan noted, Reiner had been a vocal critic of Trump for years, making it his 'mission to try and get Trump out of office.' In a 2017 interview, Reiner called Trump 'mentally unfit' for the presidency. As recently as October, he warned that Trump's rhetoric could foster a political environment leading to 'full-on autocracy.'
Despite this fierce opposition, Reiner himself demonstrated a different standard of conduct. Following the assassination of conservative figure Charlie Kirk, Reiner appeared on Piers Morgan's show and called the event an 'absolute horror.' He stated clearly, 'I don't care what your political beliefs are. That's not acceptable.'
This contrast underscores the central point of Rogan's critique, highlighting a profound divergence in how public figures choose to respond to personal tragedy and political enmity.
