President Donald Trump weighed in Monday on the tragic homicide of director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, and netizens were quick to put him on blast for his insensitive comments.
In a Truth Social post, Trump suggested the couple’s deaths were tied to “Trump derangement syndrome,” the label he and his allies often use to describe political opponents and critics. The remark came as investigators continued to examine what happened at the couple’s Los Angeles home, where they were found dead Sunday afternoon.
“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,” Trump wrote.
Trump went on to claim Reiner “was know to have driven people crazy” with his “obsession” and said the director’s “paranoia” hit “new heights” as the administration “surpassed all goals and expectations.” He ended by writing, “May Rob and Michele rest in peace!”
Reiner, a prominent Democrat donor and longtime Trump critic, built a career that stretched from sitcom stardom to Hollywood’s director class. His death, and the circumstances around it, is already a major story on their own as many of his fans mourn. Trump’s statement shifted the focus toward political grievance and personal insult.
After news of the deaths spread, Democratic figures including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Barack Obama posted condolences for the Reiner family.
Some right-leaning influencers also offered tributes, with several pointing to the moment they viewed as Reiner showing empathy toward political opponent Charlie Kirk after his assassination. Andrew Kolvet wrote on X, “Rob Reiner responded with grace and compassion to Charlie’s assassination. This video makes it all the more painful to hear of he and his wife’s tragic end. May God be close to the broken hearted in this terrible story.”
Rob Reiner responded with grace and compassion to Charlie’s assassination. This video makes it all the more painful to hear of he and his wife’s tragic end. May God be close to the broken hearted in this terrible story. pic.twitter.com/07g2EFu8Ha
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) December 15, 2025
Trump’s post triggered immediate backlash, with many users accusing him of exploiting a horrifying death to score political points.
One person wrote: “He’s crazy and evil. He used to be a little better at hiding it, but dementia has lowered his inhibitions.”
Another wrote: “And of course, he had to make it about himself.”
At the time of writing this report, Reiner’s son Nick is in custody for the double homicide. In an interview with The Guardian last year, Reiner spoke candidly about the 2024 presidential race and his fears about what another Trump presidency could mean for the country.
He warned that a Trump victory could push the United States away from democracy and toward what he described as an “autocracy,” arguing that the consequences would not stop at America’s borders. “We see autocracy making its move around the world,” Reiner said at the time. “And so if we crumble, there’s a danger that democracy crumbles around the world.”
Reiner did not mince words when talking about Trump personally, calling him a “criminal” and saying he “basically lies every minute of his life.” He also mocked Trump’s decision to run again, comparing him to “a zombie or a cockroach.”
