The President issued an incendiary statement mere hours following the discovery of the filmmaker and his spouse, who were found dead in their residence.
Donald Trump appeared to attribute Robert Reiner’s violent end to the director himself, insinuating that “Trump Derangement Syndrome” was the catalyst for his death.
Shortly after the 78-year-old Reiner and his wife Michele, 68, were found murdered at their Los Angeles estate, Trump posted on Truth Social, characterizing the late director as a “struggling” figure with “obvious paranoia” who effectively invited his own fate.
“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 stated.
“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 phrase “Trump Derangement Syndrome” is frequently employed by the President and his adherents to categorize his critics as being irrational or emotionally unstable.
The President’s stunning remarks were published even as memorial tributes flooded in from the entertainment community and across the country in the wake of the couple’s passing.
The Los Angeles Police Department announced it had launched an investigation into “an apparent homicide” after the couple was found Sunday afternoon in the affluent Brentwood district.
A spokesperson for the Reiner family confirmed the deaths, while authorities revealed that Reiner’s 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, was detained Sunday night on unspecified charges and is currently held on $4 million bail.
However, the President’s social media update faced immediate backlash on Monday, with both detractors and allies characterizing the statement as “despicable” and “heartless”—noting it violated norms even for him.
“This is both disgusting and expected. The Scumbag-in-Chief,” wrote Ron Filipkowski, a former Republican who now serves as editor for MeidasTouch News.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Trump ally turned critic, suggested the couple was “tragically killed at the hands of their own son, who reportedly had drug addiction and other issues, and their remaining children are left in serious mourning and heartbreak.”
“This is a family tragedy, not about politics or political enemies,” stated the MAGA Congresswoman.
Franklin Leonard, founder of The Blacklist, observed: “Every single time I see something this far beyond the pale, my first thought is “yes he’s terrible but that can’t possibly be real. And every time I’m wrong. Every. Damn. Time.”
Even segments of Trump’s most devoted supporters expressed anger over the President’s comments.
“Terrible post and I am a big Trump supporter,” one user commented in reply to the Truth Social update. “Take it down!”
“I respect you so much but this was heartless and uncalled for,” another supporter added.
Robert Reiner initially gained fame as a sitcom actor before pivoting to directing, where he helmed iconic films such as “When Harry Met Sally,” “Stand By Me,” and “The Princess Bride.”
He later became a prominent voice in Democratic politics, leveraging his celebrity to support causes like marriage equality and gun control, and remained a steadfast critic of Trump, once calling the president “mentally unfit” in a 2017 interview with Vanity Fair.
His wife was a professional photographer—credited with the original cover photo for Trump’s book “The Art of the Deal”—and later worked as a producer.
The couple, who wed in 1989, shared three children: Nick, Jake, and Romy.
The announcement of their deaths sent waves of shock through the political and entertainment spheres on Sunday.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers were dispatched to the home at approximately 3:40 p.m. on Sunday regarding a report of deaths.
Police confirmed the location was the Reiner residence and stated that two bodies were found inside. TMZ reported that the couple had been victims of a knife attack, having been found with their throats cut.
Online records from the LA Sheriff’s Department indicate that their son, Nick, has been arrested.
Former President Barack Obama expressed that he and his wife, Michelle, were “heartbroken” by the news, while Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement saying: “This is a devastating loss for our city and our country.”
“Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice,” she stated.
Tributes from Hollywood also continued to accumulate. Actor Josh Gad called Reiner “one of the greatest directors of our time.”
“He was a friend. He was simply a beautiful person. Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle were two of the most kind and caring souls you could ever imagine. He cared so much for those who had no voices. This loss is devastating. I cannot express how much this hurts,” Gad said.