🔗 Share this article Condemnation Explodes as Trump's Post on Director Rob Reiner Draws Sharp Rebuke Personalities from across the partisan aisle and the Hollywood industry are uniting to denounce former President Donald Trump for his remarks in the wake of the tragic passing of renowned director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele. A Provocative Social Media Post Following the discovery of the couple deceased at their Brentwood home, Trump posted on his platform to label the late director as "tortured and struggling". The post, he claimed Reiner's demise was "because of the anger he provoked others through his enormous, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind-crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME". The post quickly shifted to praising his own achievements, contrasting Reiner's alleged "intense obsession" and "obvious paranoia" with what Trump called the "Golden Age of America". Law Enforcement Developments and Detention Police have since confirmed the arrest of the Reiners' 32-year-old son, Nick, on charges related to homicide in relation to the incident. Reports indicate his bail was set at a substantial amount. A Torrent of Criticism from Celebrities and Politicians The reaction to Trump's words was immediate and scathing. “What a vile and despicable comment,” said public figure Patrick Schwarzenegger. Television host Whoopi Goldberg, who called Reiner a close acquaintance, also criticized the statements. Goldberg pointed to previous rhetoric from Trump about the killing of an activist, asking, "Do you have no shame? Is it possible to get any lower?" The state of California's Governor, Gavin Newsom, simply wrote, "This is a sick man." Echoing this view, US House member Maxwell Alejandro Frost declared, "He is a despicable piece of trash." Senator Chris Murphy added, "Trump has just lost it. Now saying the Reiners brought on their own murder because they didn’t support him. Deeply disturbing." Rebuke from Within Party A number of GOP elected officials also voiced dismay. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene stated that the situation was "a family tragedy, not about political feuds or political enemies". Greene also mentioned challenges with addiction and mental health within families. Fellow GOP representative, Thomas Massie, called Trump's discourse "unacceptable and disrespectful" given the nature of the deaths. He openly challenged others in his political party to justify the comments. Reiner's Legacy and Views on Trump Rob Reiner was long a outspoken critic of Donald Trump. In a past interview, he stated Trump was "mentally unfit" for the presidency. He had also cautioned about the dangers of autocracy if Trump return to power. "There is authoritarianism making its move around the world," Reiner said. "If we crumble, there’s a danger that democratic systems crumble around the world." Regardless of his strong opposition, Reiner had in the past shown "complete revulsion" and denounced political violence unequivocally after the killing of a different political figure. A Notable Connection: The Art of the Deal Providing a element of past connection, Michele Reiner, previously Michele Singer, was the artist who captured the cover image for Donald Trump's 1987 book, The Art of the Deal. Rob Reiner had previously shared the story of the photo shoot, noting Trump's request for "a specific hair product" as being photographed on a high-rise overlooking Central Park.