Former US President Donald Trump has provoked a firestorm of condemnation from Hollywood figures and members of his own Republican party following a deeply insensitive social media post about the murder of acclaimed film director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele.
A Shocking Statement Amid Tragedy
The controversy erupted on Monday when Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, falsely announcing Reiner's death. The former president wrote that the director had passed away 'due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as Trump Derangement syndrome.'
This statement came just one day after Rob and Michele Reiner were found stabbed to death at their Los Angeles home. Their 32-year-old son, Nick, has been arrested and booked for murder in connection with the case. Sources indicate the couple were allegedly killed after a heated argument with a relative, believed to be Nick, turned deadly at their $13.5 million mansion.
Furious Backlash from Hollywood and Beyond
The post drew immediate and furious reactions from across the entertainment industry and political spectrum. Actor Patrick Schwarzenegger branded Trump's words 'a disgusting and vile statement.'
Television host Piers Morgan demanded the post be deleted, writing on X: 'This is a dreadful thing to say about a man who just got murdered by his troubled son.'
On ABC's The View, Whoopi Goldberg delivered an emotional tribute to Reiner, whom she worked with on Ghosts of Mississippi, calling him 'quite an amazing man.' She then launched a furious rebuke of Trump: 'Have you no shame? No shame at all? Can you get any lower? I don't think so.'
Comedian Bridget Phetasy offered a sharp retort, stating: 'No one has worse TDS than Trump.' Even actor and Trump-supporter Rob Schneider expressed his sadness, calling Reiner 'one of the most accomplished American directors who ever lived.'
Republican Condemnation and a Plea for Decency
Criticism was not confined to Hollywood. Several prominent Republican figures publicly condemned the former president's remarks. GOP Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky called the discourse 'inappropriate and disrespectful' and challenged colleagues to defend it.
Republican Congressman Don Bacon expressed dismay, stating: 'I'd expect to hear something like this from a drunk guy at a bar, not the President of the United States. Can the President be presidential?'
In a notable intervention, former Trump ally Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene also criticised the remarks. She framed the incident as a 'family tragedy, not about politics,' urging empathy for families dealing with addiction and mental health issues.
Rob Reiner, the director behind classics like Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally, was a well-known liberal activist. Michele Reiner, a photographer, had even shot Trump's portrait for his book The Art of the Deal. The couple's tragic deaths and the subsequent political storm have left many on both sides of the Atlantic appalled.
