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Jane Miller

'Very bad for our country': Republicans condemn Trump’s mockery of director Rob Reiner’s death

Rob Reiner Donald Trump Melania Trump Republican Party Charlie Kirk Michele Singer Piers Morgan Republican Greg Gutfeld Jack Posobiec
Trump’s Comments on Rob Reiner’s Death Spark Outrage: ‘Have You No Shame?’ (Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty; Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty)

The tragic death of director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, has shocked the nation, with many across the political spectrum mourning the couple’s brutal murders. However, President Donald Trump‘s reaction to the killings has ignited a fierce debate among Republicans. In the aftermath of the killings, Trump took to Truth Social to blame Reiner’s alleged death on “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” a comment that has deeply divided conservatives.

Rob Reiner, a vocal critic of Trump, was murdered alongside his wife in their Los Angeles home, allegedly at the hands of their son, Nick. While the motive behind the killings remains unclear, the reactions from conservatives to the tragedy have varied widely. Many Republicans, while expressing sadness, have been quick to distance themselves from any attempt to politicize the deaths.

Read Also: Piers Morgan Criticizes Donald Trump Over His Offensive Post About Rob Reiner

“You won’t see people on the right celebrating the horrific murder of Rob Reiner and his wife,” tweeted conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec on Sunday night. “Compare to the Left’s reaction to Charlie Kirk’s murder,” he added, referring to a conservative figure whose death had sparked outrage from some liberals. Other conservative commentators echoed similar sentiments, stressing that they would not exploit the tragedy for political gain.

But President Trump’s response raised eyebrows. In a post on Monday, Trump suggested that Reiner’s death was a result of “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.”

“He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession with President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness,” Trump continued. “May Rob and Michele rest in peace.”

Trump did not stop there. In an Oval Office briefing later on Monday, he doubled down, calling Reiner “deranged” and criticizing him for being “very bad for our country.” These remarks from the president prompted mixed reactions from within the GOP.

Trump doubles down on his Rob Reiner attack: "I wasn't a fan of his at all. He was a deranged person… He became like a deranged person, Trump Derangement Syndrome. So I was not a fan of Rob Reiner at all in any way, shape or form. I thought he was very bad for our country."

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona.bsky.social) 2025-12-15T20:52:07.675Z

While some conservatives, such as Posobiec, attempted to justify Trump’s comments, others, like columnist Kurt Schlichter, vacillated between defending the remarks and acknowledging the discomfort they caused. “We can’t call out the Left for celebrating Charlie’s assassination but laugh at this because it’s a ‘mean tweet,’” said MAGA influencer Brilyn Hollyhand. “Taking a victory lap when a critic is killed? That’s how you lose Gen Z and independents.”

Read Also: Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were killed in their home

On the other hand, some Republicans were more outspoken in their disapproval. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) called for empathy in response to the tragedy, stating, “This is a family tragedy, 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.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) also condemned Trump’s remarks, calling them “inappropriate and disrespectful.” He challenged his fellow GOP members, asking, “I guess my elected GOP colleagues, the VP, and White House staff will just ignore it because they’re afraid? I challenge anyone to defend it.”

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) took to social media to express his own disapproval, writing, “This statement is wrong. Regardless of one’s political views, no one should be subjected to violence, let alone at the hands of their own son. It’s a horrible tragedy that should engender sympathy and compassion from everyone in our country, period.”

Other figures, including Piers Morgan and radio host Erick Erickson, also criticized Trump for making Reiner’s death about himself, labeling his comments hypocritical. Even Fox News host Greg Gutfeld seemed to struggle with the remarks, acknowledging Trump’s history with Reiner but suggesting that he should have taken a more compassionate approach.

“There’s a fine line between defending oneself and not taking a victory lap when a critic is killed,” Gutfeld noted. “If it were me, I would go, like, but I’m sorry he’s dead.”

Pastor Darrell Scott, a longtime friend and adviser to Trump, defended the president’s words, arguing that Trump “is not fake enough to eulogize his most virulent haters.” He stood by Trump’s right to express his feelings, regardless of their divisiveness, told Axios.

Ultimately, Trump’s remarks have deepened the already visible rift within the Republican Party, highlighting the challenges of maintaining a unified conservative stance on sensitive issues.

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