Following the news that Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead from fatal stab wounds in their Los Angeles home, celebrities and political leaders have shared tributes to the late couple.
But while most of the tributes to Reiner highlighted his indelible work behind and in front of the camera, Donald Trump shared used the opportunity to criticize Reiner's anti-trump beliefs, and blame his murder on his politics.
For the record, Reiner and his wife's 32-year-old son, Nick, has been arrested on murder charges in connection with their deaths.
“A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “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. 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!”
Piers Morgan, who is largely a Trump supporter, condemned the president for his post. "This is a dreadful thing to say about a man who just got murdered by his troubled son," wrote Morgan. "Delete it, Mr President."
Patrick Scharzenegger called it a "disgusting and vile statement.
Jack White of the White Stripes also shared Trump's statement on Instagram and ripped into the president.
"Trump you disgusting, vile, egomaniac loser, child," he wrote. "Neither he nor any one of his followers can defend this gross, horrible insult to a beautiful artist who gave the world so much. To use someone's tragic death to promote your own vanity and fascist authoritarian agenda is a corrupt and narcissistic sin. Shame on you Trump and anyone who defends this. God bless you Rob Reiner and thank you for what you gave the world. I never even met you and I still stand by you."
On the Monday (Dec. 15) episode of The View, Whoopi Goldberg shared an emotional tribute to Reiner, who directed her in the 1996 drama, Ghosts of Mississippi. “Rob became a star in the iconic sitcom All in the Family, and went on to direct beloved movies like This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally, and I was lucky enough to get directed by him in Ghosts of Mississippi,” she said. “He was also an outspoken activist and quite a guy, quite an amazing man.”
Goldberg’s co-host, Sunny Hostin, also used the opportunity to criticize Trump. “Don’t read it, just tell them that it’s there,” she said. Ana Navarro also ripped into his comments. “Of all the disgusting things that Donald Trump has done, this is right up there,” they said, to which Goldberg added, “I don’t understand the man in that White House, because he talked so much about Charlie Kirk and caring, and suddenly this is what he puts out. Have you no shame? No shame at all? Can you get any lower? I don’t think so.”
When given a chance to clarify his post on Monday, Trump doubled down.
Barack Obama, in stark contrast to Trump, shared a statement expressing condolences to Reiner’s family. “Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen,” he wrote. “But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people—and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action. Together, he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose. They will be remembered for the values they championed and the countless people they inspired.”
Kathy Bates, who won an Oscar for her role as Anna Wilkes in Reiner’s beloved 1990 film Misery, led a wave of touching tributes.
“I’m horrified hearing this terrible news,” said Bates in a statement shared with Deadline. “Absolutely devastated. I loved Rob. He was brilliant and kind, a man who made films of every genre to challenge himself as an artist. He also fought courageously for his political beliefs. He changed the course of my life. Michelle was a gifted photographer. She shot my beautiful photos for the Misery campaign. My heart breaks for them both. My thoughts are with their family.”
Check out other reactions to Rob and Michele Reiner’s murder below, including from author Stephen King, whose stories were adapted by Reiner for the movies Stand By Me and Misery.