Donald Trump faced a storm of condemnation on Monday after posting "perverse" and "sick" remarks suggesting Rob Reiner and his wife were murdered because of the celebrated filmmaker's criticism of the U.S. 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, Trump launched a crude attack on the director of "When Harry Met Sally" and other popular hits.
Trump claimed the Reiners had died "reportedly due to the anger" that Reiner had caused by criticizing the Republican leader.
Trump also boasted of his own supposed political success, and said Reiner had "driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession" of attacking the president.
The comments came as police announced that Reiner's son, Nick, 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 next year, told CNN.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, once one of Trump's fiercest allies in Congress, scolded Trump 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.
Thomas Massie, another Trump critic on the Republican side of the House of Representatives, called the president's comments "inappropriate and disrespectful" while New York moderate Mike Lawler called the remarks "wrong."
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.
Miles Taylor, a former Trump administration homeland security official who became a prominent internal critic after anonymously publishing a 2019 tell-all book, accused 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. David Axelrod, the former chief strategist to President Barack Obama, described Trump's post as "perverse."
"The absence of empathy & 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 Trump had "lost it."
"Now saying Rob and Michele Reiner caused their own murder because they didn’t support him. So sick," he wrote.
© 2025 AFP
52 Comments
funkymofo
There is no justification for this disgusting behavior from anyone, least of all a world leader. trump is a compromised old con man at the mercy of his own narcissism.
hachikoreloaded
As the beginning of the article states, "perverse" and "sick". Condemnation SO well deserved.
jib
The days of silent politicians are over, Left or right.
Politics has now become the entertainment business for ugly people.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Trump is obviously suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome.
plasticmonkey
Sick, weird narcissist.
Trump honestly thinks the entire world exists for his benefit.
funkymofo
It is offensive and vulgar- and also presidential language under trump.
plasticmonkey
Waiting for our MAGA friends to step up and condemn Trump for this.
SaikoPhysco
Trump has the personality of an entitiled and constantly spoiled 5 year old.
SeekShinJitsu
"Anyone who criticizes Trump is deserving of death."
Has to be the most anti-American idea.
Where are our conservatives who should be condemning this?
Jimizo
You get some Trump voters who voted for him in spite of his appalling personality.
You get others who celebrate his personality.
Imagine being in the second group.
falseflagsteve
What a beastly thing to say.
bass4funk
Don’t agree with the comments; I think they were uncalled for, but having said that, Reiner went on a personal attack rage against this President, and Trump is just not a person who takes personal attacks lightly, and if you go after him hard, he will double that. So while I think the comments were wrong, I’m not THAT surprised.
Texas A&M Aggie
Trump condemned for (fill in the blank)
Liberals condemn Donald Trump just for being Donald Trump.
aaronagstring
There. Fixed that for you.
SeekShinJitsu
You already stated you yourself believe Trump's comments were wrong, so why wouldn't the logic follow that karma will catch up with Trump on this one?
bass4funk
I already explained that.
YeahRight
Why does he have to make everything about him?
bass4funk
Because Reiner made everything about Trump. Don't believe me, Google Reiner's comments.
plasticmonkey
No you don't.
There is no other perspective. Trump is just a narcissistic jerk.
Jimizo
This spiteful and childish comment was Donald Trump being Donald Trump.
commanteer
Surprising that people still haven't figured out after all these years that Trump often posts inappropriate or ridiculous things. Also disappointing that everyone seems to join in to politicize an unthinkable tragedy. The post on the murder (as I write this) has zero comments. But Trump's opinion on it attracts everyone.
It was a terrible thing. I suppose one could look at the deeper cause, but at least allow a little time for mourning.
Speed
What a small person he is.
Bob Fosse
A new low but he’ll only get worse. Shameless and shameful.
wallace
Sick Trump comment about the murdered couple.
GBR48
If you don't want someone to disgrace the office of President every week, don't elect or support someone who obviously will.
Wasabi
This man is sick, he needs medical help.
masugomi
Disgusting.
Will_Rendle
bass4funkToday 07:56 am JST
You're still going to equivocate and make excuses for him.
bass4funk
I disagree, but I do think the man is very petty, and if people know that, then they know he's not a forgiving guy. When he was asked, he doubled down on the comments, so this is what he believes, and nothing you can do about it.
Jimizo
The expectations some people have of how the leader of a major country should conduct himself or herself is quite disturbing.
You wonder and worry how low their expectations of themselves are.
deanzaZZR
How low can you go? Donald Trump says "hold my beer".
Will_Rendle
Here are Republicans and conservatives who actually get it. They can see that this had nothing to do with Rob Reiner's views on Donald Trump at all.
lincolnman
Surprised? No....
This disgusting cretin never fails to exit the gutter that he lives in...
u_s__reamer
Drenched-in-blood Trump has no right to throw a presidential first stone at Rob Reiner and his pathetic son. Period!
plasticmonkey
Trump’s latest comments about Reiner:
"I thought he was very bad for our country."
(=“because he didn’t like MEEEEE”)
WoodyLee
TRUMP just mouth Farted again.
John-San
Bass: Not a forgiving guy ? Your idol hero isn't even human. A gutter dog has more class than your child sex abusing President. How you can associate and lower yourself to heap praise on this non human does my head in. Are you in a dream and have not woken up in the past decade ?
lincolnman
Why couldn't Trump have said something like;
"Melania and I share in the sorrow of this needless tragedy, brought upon by what appears to be the scourge of drug addition afflicting far too many families...
We must redouble out efforts to remove illegal drugs from our communities and get help and treatment to those in need.
Rob Reiner will be remembered and honored through the many wonderful movies he has given us".
Why? Because compassion and sympathy are absolutely foreign to him. He's a walking cesspool of hate and evil...
plasticmonkey
Vote Democrat and 25th Amendment this madman.
kohakuebisu
This is true, and yes, its like that "Idiocracy" movie by the South Park people, but it is not an inevitability.
Trump gets away with it because he gives the tech bros who control online discourse what they want, and he gives traditional media owners like Rupert Murdoch what they want. So they don't properly criticize Trump beyond WWE level, where the bad guys are good guys so long as they get bums on seats.
browny1
Part of Trump's post on truth social -
So Presidential.
And classic use of All Capitals and referring to himself in the 3rd person, as if He is the focus of his attempt to comment on the tragic savage deaths of 2 people.
This just adds to his eye-popping ramblings of the past week or so, displaying a serious cognitive decline.
wallace
Trump's victim-blaming reaches new heights.
Moderator
Readers, this story will be closed for discussion for a few hours.
HopeSpringsEternal
Another tragedy, appears based upon law enforcement and media reports, that Mr. Reiner and his wife were killed by their son, who's battled scourage of drug addiction with many efforts at rehabilitation that never worked, for several decades, from the young age of 15.
Parents can never escape at least some responsibility for their children's behavior, including drug addiction.
This is likely what Pres. Trump was refering to, that the Reiner's did not prioritize protecting their son from drugs, because Pres. Trump's been so open to the public about his very strict parenting style that made alcohol, drugs and cigaretttes off limits, no ifs, ands or buts.
The drug war effects families from all walks of life and why the fight to secure the borders and crush the Narco Terrorist Drug Cartels so important
1glenn
This is psychopathic behavior. He enjoys the suffering of others.
runner3
This shows how much a narcissist Trump is. This tragedy is not about him. But some how he thinks it is. He's so pitiful.
stormcrow
Here’s a man who doesn’t know when or even how to keep his big trap shut.
Not one of the qualities you expect to find in a president.
Five Families
I read President Trump’s comments, and they were not just wrong — they were reckless, unnecessary, and deeply irresponsible. What makes it worse is that he knows better. This was not ignorance or confusion; it was a deliberate choice to speak carelessly about a horrific tragedy, and that is indefensible.
According to reports, the son killed his parents following an argument at Conan O’Brien’s home during a Christmas party that O’Brien was hosting. The son had been asking his father for money to produce a movie, but his father knew the story was false. The father believed the money would be used to support the son’s drug addiction. That conflict then spilled over into brutal murder.
RIP to Rob and his wife. A terrible tragedy that deserved seriousness and respect — not thoughtless commentary.
Express sister
Trump said what he said before anyone knew that the son is a suspect.
And Don Jr. is a cokehead.
Idiot.
oldman_13
Vile and despicable.
Express sister
Are you high?
starpunk
Narcissism. Arrogant delusions of godhood. This bratty talk is totally uncalled for and Unbecoming the Head of a Civilized Nation.
Bear in mind, it's not a 'political' issue, it's a moral one. He sassed off about the GOP Senator John McCain and others. He used racist language referring to Mitch McConnel's ethnic Taiwanese wife ('Coco Chow'). And of by calling covid the 'kung flu'.
There is absolutely nothing likeable about Diaper Donald. His ego is huger than the red star Betelgeuse (that's in the Orion constellation) and he has no class whatsoever.
The entire UN should boycott even meeting with this vile uncouth felon pervert rapist. Every day he is in power, the USA keeps sinking deeper + deeper into a moral/political/intellectual/etc. morass. He is a cancer, the Lowliest of All Lowlifes on this planet Earth.