Trump condemned for saying director Rob Reiner brought on his own murder

WASHINGTON – Mr Donald Trump faced a storm of condemnation on Dec 15 after posting what critics described as “perverse” and “sick” remarks suggesting Rob Reiner and his wife were murdered
because of the celebrated actor and film-maker’s criticism of the US president.

Among those shocked were some staunch Trump loyalists, and the remarks triggered a wave of unusually negative responses on his Truth Social network that he uses to communicate with his base.

As tributes for Reiner poured in from celebrities and movie world figures, Mr Trump used his Truth Social platform to launch a crude attack on the director of When Harry Met Sally (1989) and other popular hits.

Mr Trump claimed the Reiners had died “reportedly due to the anger” Reiner had caused by criticising the Republican leader.

“A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind-crippling disease known as Trump Derangement Syndrome, sometimes referred to as TDS,” Mr Trump wrote.

He added: “He was known to have driven people crazy by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before. May Rob and Michele rest in peace!”

The comments came as police announced that Reiner’s son Nick Reiner had been arrested on suspicion of murder
– a development that intensified the backlash.

“I’d expect to hear something like this from a drunk guy at a bar, not the president of the United States,” Nebraska Republican Don Bacon, who retires from the House of Representatives in 2026, told CNN.

Ms Marjorie Taylor Greene, once one of Mr Trump’s fiercest allies in Congress, scolded him over his response to a family tragedy that was “not about politics or political enemies”.

“Many families deal with a family member with drug addiction and mental health issues. It’s incredibly difficult and should be met with empathy especially when it ends in murder,” she posted on X.

‘Inappropriate and disrespectful’

Mr Thomas Massie, another Trump critic on the Republican side of the House of Representatives, said the president’s comments were inappropriate and disrespectful, while New York moderate Mike Lawler called the remarks “wrong”.

Conservative commentator Erick Erickson drew parallels with the calls for civility after the September assassination of Charlie Kirk.

“All of those people who lost their jobs for their disgusting tweets about Charlie Kirk’s assassination are staring at the President of the United States’ social media account in disbelief,” Mr Erickson wrote.

Mr Trump has a long record of incendiary social media posts that have outraged Democrats, but open condemnation from within Republican ranks was once almost unthinkable.

Mr Miles Taylor, a former Trump administration homeland security official who became a prominent internal critic after anonymously publishing a 2019 tell-all book, accused Mr Trump of mocking the dead and branded him a “sick creep”.

“His attacks on (Republican senator) John McCain after the veteran’s death pushed me to speak out from within his administration. (The) taunting of Rob Reiner’s murder makes me even more determined to defy Trump.”

Democrats also responded with fury. Mr David Axelrod, former chief strategist to former US president Barack Obama, described Mr Trump’s post as perverse.

“The absence of empathy and grace for the Reiner family in their moment of profound loss and grief is sad and revealing. For @POTUS, his grievances trumps their grief.”

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said Mr Trump had “lost it”.

“Now saying Rob and Michele Reiner caused their own murder because they didn’t support him. So sick,” he wrote.

Asked about the criticism later at an event in the Oval Office on Dec 15, Mr Trump maintained his stance.

“He was a deranged person as far as Trump is concerned,” the president said. “I was not a fan of Rob Reiner at all in any way, shape or form. I thought he was very bad for our country.” AFP, BLOOMBERG