Former US President Donald Trump is facing a significant backlash from within his own party following a series of inflammatory comments and actions, including his response to the murder of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele. The controversy highlights a deepening rift as Trump continues to dominate the political landscape.
GOP Fury Over Reiner Remarks
In the immediate aftermath of the brutal murder of Rob and Michele Reiner, Donald Trump launched a vicious attack on the late director. He accused Reiner of suffering from "Trump Derangement Syndrome" and claimed he was "known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession." This attempt to politicise a family tragedy sparked immediate revulsion.
Prominent Republicans were quick to condemn the remarks. Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie called the discourse "inappropriate and disrespectful." Even former MAGA stalwart Marjorie Taylor Greene stated, "This is a family tragedy, not about politics." Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana suggested Trump should have "said nothing," while New York Congressman Mike Lawler flatly stated the comments were "wrong."
The backlash was intensified by the personal connection millions feel to Reiner's work, from "The Princess Bride" to "When Harry Met Sally." As actor James Woods, a Trump supporter, said of his old friend Reiner: "Because you disagree with people doesn't mean that you have to hate people."
A Cascade of Controversies
Beyond the Reiner comments, Trump engaged in several other contentious actions in the same period. He filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC in a Florida court, alleging a Panorama episode about the January 6th Capitol riot defamed him through deceptive editing. The lawsuit, described as "fatuous" by critics, claims the broadcast was a "brazen attempt" to influence the 2024 election.
In a bizarre legal manoeuvre, the lawsuit cites former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss as an authority on BBC bias, quoting her views on holding the broadcaster accountable. Legal observers noted the unusual citation as a sign the case may not be entirely serious.
Trump also drew criticism for his response to a mass shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island, which left two dead and nine injured. When asked about the investigation, he appeared to dismiss federal responsibility, stating, "you'd really have to ask the school a little bit more about that. Because, you know, this was a school problem."
Patterns of Behaviour and Hypocrisy
Critics were swift to point out a perceived double standard. Following the murder of far-right influencer Charlie Kirk, numerous individuals faced professional consequences for insufficiently mournful comments. Actor Whoopi Goldberg highlighted the contrast, asking of Trump, "Have you no shame?"
Trump later doubled down on his Reiner comments in the Oval Office, coming close to suggesting he was not bothered by the death because Reiner was "very bad for our country." This followed a familiar pattern of speaking ill of the deceased, including the late Senator John McCain and former President Jimmy Carter.
Further inconsistencies emerged when Trump, while signing documents, declared, "No autopen. None. Ever." This directly contradicted his admission in March 2025 that he used the device for "very unimportant papers," a common time-saving tool used by presidents for decades.
In another ongoing issue, Trump publicly complained about his inability to free Tina Peters, a former Colorado election official serving a nine-year sentence for tampering with voting machines. He falsely claimed she was jailed for "catching people cheating," despite her conviction for allowing unauthorised access to secure systems. He has no power to pardon her for state crimes.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, when confronted about Trump's Reiner comments, declined to engage, telling reporters, "I don't do ongoing commentary about everything that's said." This reluctance to criticise the former president underscores the ongoing tension within the Republican Party as it grapples with Trump's enduring influence and his propensity for creating divisive controversies.
