Donald Trump criticised for comments on the death of Rob and Michele Reiner

Lauren Del Fabbro, PA Entertainment Reporter

US President Donald Trump has been criticised for claiming that the killing of American filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife photographer Michele Singer Reiner was politically motivated.

The pair were found dead in their home on Sunday night with their son, Nick Reiner, 32, arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on suspicion of murder.

The floods of tributes that were paid to the couple clashed with a comment made by the US president on his social media site Truth Social where he described Rob as a “tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star”.

He went on to suggest that the couple’s killing was politically motivated.

Mr Trump claimed Rob and Michele died “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”.

He added: “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 president later claimed that Reiner was “very bad for our country” when asked if he stood by his post at a press conference on Monday.

He said: “I was not a fan of Rob Reiner at all, in any way, shape or form.”

Georgia Republican and former ally-turned-critic of the president after he branded her a “traitor” for disagreeing with him, representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, posted on X: “This is a family tragedy, not about politics or political enemies.”

Her comments were echoed by Jenna Ellis, a former lawyer for Mr Trump, who said: “A man and his wife were murdered last night.

“This is NOT the appropriate response.

“The Right uniformly condemned political and celebratory responses to Charlie Kirk’s death.

“This is a horrible example from Trump (and surprising considering the two attempts on his own life) and should be condemned by everyone with any decency.”

‘Dreadful’

Others who have spoken out against the president include British broadcaster Piers Morgan who wrote on X: “This is a dreadful thing to say about a man who just got murdered by his troubled son. Delete it, Mr President.”

Kentucky Republican representative Thomas Massie, who also reshared Ms Greene’s post on X, added: “Regardless of how you felt about Rob Reiner, this is inappropriate and disrespectful discourse about a man who was just brutally murdered.

“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.”

Hollywood stars have also taken to X to criticise the US president including White Lotus star Patrick Schwarzenegger, who wrote: “What a disgusting and vile statement.”

Actress and presenter Whoopi Goldberg responded by referencing the comments Mr Trump made against critics of the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk after his assassination.

Speaking on ABC’s The View, Goldberg said: “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.

“And what do you have to say about what’s happened around the world? Where is our voice as Americans?

“Somebody’s got to speak up for us. Our hearts are breaking through all of this, through Rob, through what’s happened at Bondi Beach, what happened at Brown and you don’t find the time to say, as Americans, we hate what’s happening. You ain’t my president man.”