A new survey has revealed rare bipartisan discomfort with President Donald Trump's response to the death of filmmaker Rob Reiner. The findings come after Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found stabbed to death at their home in Los Angeles.
Instead of offering condolences, Trump attacked Reiner online, triggering public backlash. The poll, conducted by YouGov and published on 20 December 2025, shows that even many MAGA Republicans found the remarks inappropriate.
The data explains how a single social media post cut across party lines at a moment of national shock.
READ MORE: Trump Stays In Epstein Files — Justice Department Says No Change
READ MORE: Trump 'Scrubbed' Files: DOJ Caught 'With Hands In Cookie Jar' Over Deleted Epstein Photos
Donald Trump's Below-the-Belt Rob Reiner Joke
The controversy began when Trump posted about Rob Reiner on his Truth Social platform shortly after news of the killings broke. In the message, the president described the director as 'struggling' and 'once very talented.'
He also accused Reiner of having 'a massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME.'
Trump added that Reiner had 'driven people CRAZY' through what he claimed was an obsession with him. The tone stood apart from messages of sympathy shared by other political figures.
Almost 50% of MAGA Republicans Find It Inappropriate
According to YouGov's findings, opinion among MAGA Republicans was sharply divided. About 45% said Trump's post was inappropriate, while 43% said it was appropriate. The split highlighted internal tension within the MAGA movement.
Among non-MAGA Republicans, criticism was far stronger. Roughly 66% of non-MAGA Republicans said the post crossed a line, compared with just 19% who approved of it. In total, 55% of Republicans described Trump's remarks as inappropriate.
90% of Democrats Are Not Laughing
Democrats showed near-unanimous disapproval. The survey found that 90% of Democrats said Trump's post about Rob Reiner was inappropriate. The reaction reflected broader discomfort with criticising public figures immediately after their deaths.
The result also marked a shift from earlier polling in September, following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, when more Democrats defended speaking critically about the deceased.
Over 70% of Americans in General Agree
Across the wider public, the response was decisive. YouGov reported that 72% of Americans said Trump's post was inappropriate, while only 17% said it was appropriate.
In contrast, tribute messages from figures such as Ted Cruz, Barack Obama, and Gavin Newsom were widely accepted. Fewer than 5% of respondents found those posts inappropriate, and more than 80% approved of them.
Is It Right To Criticise Public Figures After Death?
The survey also explored a broader question about public behaviour after a tragedy. Asked whether it is acceptable to criticise a public figure who has just been killed, 60% of Americans said it was unacceptable.
Only 18% said it was acceptable. Even among those who generally defend speaking ill of the dead, a majority still rejected Trump's remarks.
Majorities of Democrats, Republicans, MAGA Republicans, and non-MAGA Republicans all agreed that such criticism is wrong.
Trump Defends Himself From Criticisms
Despite the backlash, Trump did not retreat. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he said, '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.'
He later referred to Reiner as 'a deranged person as far as Trump is concerned.' Several Republicans publicly disagreed with the president, but Trump has not removed the post.
The episode has underscored how sharply his style continues to divide Americans, even in moments of shared grief.
