Trump Critiques Late Director Rob Reiner, Sparking Controversy

Tue Dec 16 2025 16:12:08 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

President Donald Trump faces backlash after repeating his criticism of the late Hollywood director Rob Reiner, who was murdered alongside his wife, as he links their deaths to what he calls 'Trump derangement syndrome.'

In a press conference, President Trump reiterated his past criticisms of Rob Reiner, who was recently murdered, suggesting that the director's opposition to him caused significant distress in the American public. The remarks were met with widespread criticism, including from Republicans who called the comments inappropriate and disrespectful, urging a focus on the tragedy rather than politics.

US President Donald Trump has repeated his criticism of Rob Reiner - after his earlier remarks about the killed Hollywood director, a longtime Trump critic, sparked widespread condemnation.

The US president told reporters the director was very bad for our country, having earlier written on Truth Social that Reiner's death was linked to Trump derangement syndrome - a term he often uses to describe his critics.

Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead at their Los Angeles home on Sunday, and police have arrested their son Nick on suspicion of murder.

They have not suggested any motive in the case, or any evidence that Reiner's politics and criticism of Trump played any role.

In his social media post, which called the couple's deaths very sad, Trump criticised Reiner, saying: He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump.

Those comments were widely criticised, including by prominent Republicans.

Kentucky representative Thomas Massie, a Republican who has clashed with Trump since the president returned to the White House in January, wrote on X: Regardless of how you felt about Rob Reiner, this is inappropriate and disrespectful discourse about a man who was just brutally murdered.

Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was once a staunch supporter of Trump before recently becoming a frequent critic, added that this is a family tragedy, not about politics and that the murders should be met with empathy.

Multiple other senior members of Trump's party appeared to distance themselves from the remarks. Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, stated that he thought Trump should have refrained from making the comments.

Reiner, a lifelong Democrat and prominent liberal activist, was often vocal in his criticism of Trump and frequently linked the presidency to autocracy.

In a separate press meeting, Trump characterized Reiner as a deranged person responsible for collusion allegations against him, insisting he was not a fan of the late director. Historically, Trump has faced backlash for politically charged remarks made posthumously about political foes.

Rob Reiner, who was 78, was known for directing several iconic films such as This is Spinal Tap and A Few Good Men. He was married to Michele, an actress and photographer, for over three decades. Upon their death, the Reiner family has been under significant emotional strain amidst the ongoing investigation.