In a way, it’s impressive that Donald Trump still has the capacity to shock. I write about this disaster of a human being almost every day of my life and, frankly, I’d assumed I’d seen all that he had to offer. But it turns out, he can get far worse than we ever imagined.
Even seasoned Trump-watchers were left with jaws on the floor yesterday when Trump responded to the brutal murder of beloved director Rob Reiner with barely disguised glee. In a truly bonkers Truth Social post, Trump insisted that Reiner died “due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind-crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME”.
Over in reality, it actually appears they were killed by their drug-addicted and mentally ill son who they’d done everything in their power to help. Trump’s comments were met with widespread disgust, not just from the liberal celebrities usually opposed to him, but by those who’d ordinarily back his every word.
Fox News Panel Unanimously Condemns Trump's Reaction to Rob Reiner's Killing: 'Beneath the Office' https://t.co/U6k1nrnW84
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) December 16, 2025
For example, over on Fox News’ Special Report, they noted that Reiner had spoken out and denounced the murder of Charlie Kirk and those who celebrated it. Then, in comments that were surprising to hear on Fox News, Howard Kurtz slammed Trump for his monstrous remarks:
“I have to say, that for the president of the United States to take this family tragedy in which both Reiner and his wife were killed and say that it’s because of ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome,’ I thought was well beneath him and beneath the office. And I think it would have been better if the president had made no comment.”
This is who Trump really is
Host Bret Baier, ordinarily a proud Trump supporter, didn’t argue when contributor Guy Benson said Republicans were right to “push back” against the president:
“There’s a time and place for politics and for trolling. A man being viciously murdered along with his wife, allegedly, at the hand of their own son, is not that time or that place. And for the president to have put this out the way that he did achieves nothing and reflects poorly.”
Finally, Axios’ Stef Knight commented on Trump “doubling down”:
“Trump has continued to double down on his comments despite hearing from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who have been pretty clear in condemning the president’s tone. And it is unfortunate to have the president of the United States taking a tragedy like this and inserting politics into a situation as sad as the one that led to the Reiners’ death, especially after the year we had, especially after political violence has been such a big issue this year. Whether it was the killing of the state lawmakers in Minnesota earlier this year to the killing of Charlie Kirk, this has been a conversation.”
We’re sure they’ll be back to bending the knee by the end of the week, but, notably, even those who spent their lives in thorough disagreement with all Rob Reiner stood for are utterly nauseated by Trump dancing on his grave from the Oval Office.
This isn’t going to be the thing that brings down Trump (if anything ever will, other than the inexorable passage of time), but it shows the limits of what people will tolerate from him. And, just maybe, the scales might fall from a few people’s eyes as they realize just what kind of man they put in the White House.
