President Donald Trump is under fire over his comments on the deaths of legendary Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, 68, who were found fatally stabbed at their Los Angeles home Sunday.
Nick Reiner, the couple’s son, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is “responsible” for his parents' deaths, LAPD detectives said.
Reiner, 32, and his father were seen arguing at a party Saturday evening, friends told The Los Angeles Times.
He is being held without bail and will appear in court at 8:30am local time Tuesday, according to jail records.
While tributes poured in for the slain couple, Trump blamed Reiner’s death on what he called “TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME” in a post on Truth Social, inspiring an angry backlash, including from the president’s fellow Republicans, who urged him to delete it.
Late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel, a regular critic of Trump, called his remarks “loathsome” and “hateful and vile” and said the president was a “sick and irresponsible man.”
Rob Reiner directed such popular movies as This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men.
Rob Reiner death: Key points
- How Donald Trump's post about Rob Reiner set off a firestorm of criticism
- Nick Reiner is 'responsible' for parents' death, LAPD detectives say
- Reiner and son argued night before director and his wife were found dead, partygoer says
- Obamas were due to meet the Reiners on the night they were killed, Michelle reveals
- 'He saw something no one else could': Jerry Seinfeld remembers Reiner
Nick Reiner is 'responsible' for parents' death, LAPD detectives say
11:25 , Joe SommerladLos Angeles police say Nick Reiner is “responsible” for the killing of his parents, who were found dead at home on Sunday, reportedly by their daughter Romy Reiner.
“As a result of the initial investigation, it was determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide,” the LAPD wrote in a statement on X.
“The investigation further revealed that Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Robert and Michele Reiner, was responsible for their deaths.”
LAPD News: Detectives Announce Arrest in Murder of Robert and Michele Reiner pic.twitter.com/0Mn7P81GVA
— LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) December 15, 2025
The 32-year-old, who has not been convicted of any crimes, was arrested around 9:15pm on Sunday and remains in police custody.
Recap: Rob Reiner’s son arrested after legendary filmmaker and wife found dead at Los Angeles home
11:05 , Joe SommerladIf you’re just joining, here’s where we’re at with the investigation into the shocking deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner, 78, and his photographer wife Michele Singer Reiner, 68, who were found dead at their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, on Sunday afternoon.
Their middle son, Nick Reiner, 32, has been taken into custody by the LAPD as tributes continue to pour in from the worlds of entertainment and politics, with only President Donald Trump and his closest followers striking a discordant note.
Rob Reiner’s son, 32, arrested after filmmaker and wife found dead at LA home
What Rob Reiner said about Trump
10:45 , Joe SommerladThe president’s shocking animosity towards Reiner is perhaps explained by the fact that the director and actor was a lifelong Democrat and activist who was never afraid to share his political views, not least on Trump himself.
Here’s a look back at some of his most unsparing comments about the president, whom he called “mentally unfit” for high office and “the single most unqualified human being to ever assume the presidency of the United States.”
What Rob Reiner said about Donald Trump as president condemned for ‘sick’ outburst
Jimmy Kimmel tears into Trump’s ‘vile’ Reiner post: ‘Nothing is too much for him’
10:25 , Joe SommerladThe late-night host, a long-time enemy of the president, delivered a scathing monologue on his show last night in response to Trump’s attack on Reiner.
“Just when you think he can’t go any lower, he somehow finds a way to do that,” Kimmel said Monday night. “It’s so hateful and vile. When I first saw it, I thought it was fake.
“My wife showed it to me this morning. I was like, well, even for him that seemed like too much, but nothing is ever too much for him.
“Maybe the craziest part, then he goes about his day celebrating Christmas of all things. This is how he behaves at Christmas time.”
Owen Scott has more.
Jimmy Kimmel tears into Trump’s ‘vile’ Reiner post: ‘Nothing is too much for him’
Recap: What did Donald Trump say about Rob Reiner’s murder?
10:05 , Joe SommerladThis was what the president wrote on Truth Social yesterday in response to the tragic killing of the Hollywood director and his wife Michele Singer Reiner:
“A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. 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!”
When invited to clarify the comments at the White House later, Trump doubled-down rather than issue an apology, saying this:
Obamas were due to meet the Reiners on the night they were killed, Michelle reveals
09:40 , Joe SommerladFormer first lady Michelle Obama has revealed she and her husband Barack Obama were due to have dinner with Rob and Michele Reiner on Sunday night before the Hollywood couple were found dead that afternoon.
“We’ve known them for many many years and we were supposed to be seeing them that night – last night and we got the news,” Obama told Jimmy Kimmel on Monday.
While Obama did not specifically mention President Donald Trump’s shocking post about Reiner, she took an indirect jab at the comments on Kimmel’s show.
“Let me just say this, unlike some people, Rob and Michele Reiner are some of the most decent, courageous people you ever want to know,” she said.
“They’re not deranged or crazed. What they have always been are passionate people in a time when there’s not a lot of courage going on, they were the kind of people who were ready to put their actions behind what they cared about.
“They cared about their family, they cared about this country and they cared about fairness and equity and that is the truth, I do know them.”
Olivia Ireland has more.
Obamas were due to meet the Reiners on the night they were killed, Michelle reveals
Whoopi Goldberg slams Donald Trump after ‘disgusting’ Rob Reiner post
09:11 , Sam RkainaWhoopi Goldberg has slammed Donald Trump for his post about the deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle.
Speaking on The View on Monday, Goldberg questioned if Trump could “get any lower”.
“He talks so much about Charlie Kirk and now suddenly this is what he puts out,” she said.
Watch the clip below.
Rob Reiner remembered as activist and artist by Obama and others
07:59 , Josh MarcusTributes have poured in for Rob Reiner, the legendary Hollywood director of This is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me and When Harry Met Sally..., after he and his wife Michele Singer were found dead at their Los Angeles home.
A homicide investigation is underway after the director, 78, and photographer, 68, were found Sunday. A family member is being questioned and the LAPD has said no suspects are being sought at this time.
A spokesperson for the Reiner family told CNN: “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”
The news has prompted an outpouring of grief from political and entertainment figures.
Tom Murray and Kevin E G Perry report.
Tributes pour in for Rob Reiner after director and wife are found dead
Trump comments on Rob Reiner show he can 'always get worse,' niece says
07:35 , Josh MarcusPresident Trump’s niece, the political commentator Mary Trump, slammed her family member in an X post on Monday over the president’s inflammatory remarks about the killing of Rob Reiner.
“Michele and Rob Reiner were the best of us,” she wrote on X. “Every day, Donald continues to prove that he will always get worse.”
“Once again, you have gone out of your way to prove, to anyone who doesn’t already know, that you are a depraved, deviant, damaged little man who cannot bear the thought that there are people in this world who are talented, valued, and loved—three things you are not,” she continued in a blog post. “You cannot stomach the thought that anybody else, for any reason, would take the spotlight.”
How a Trump post about Rob Reiner set off a firestorm of criticism
07:00 , Josh MarcusFormer allies of Donald Trump have joined those calling out the president after his comments on the deaths of Robert and Michele Reiner.
In a Truth Social post Monday, Trump suggested that their deaths were due to Robert Reiner’s "paranoia" and “obsession” with him.
The post drew immediate outcry on social media, as critics, including former MAGA stalwart Marjorie Taylor Greene, condemned the president’s words as “inappropriate” and “disgraceful,” and called for the “dreadful” message to be taken down.
“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,” Trump wrote Monday.
Mike Bedigan has the story.
Trump’s comment on Rob Reiner’s stabbing triggers outcry from MTG
ICYMI: Prior to arrest, Nick Reiner had history of addiction and made movie with father about it
06:00 , Josh MarcusNick Reiner, son of Hollywood movie director Rob Reiner, has been arrested after his father and mother, Michele Singer Reiner, were found stabbed to death at their Los Angeles home.
The bodies were discovered Sunday afternoon by the director’s daughter, Romy Reiner, according to People magazine. Initial reports said that a family member was being questioned by police.
Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested at 9:15 p.m. Sunday evening and booked into jail around 5 a.m. Monday. He is being held on a $4 million bond, although his record does not state what charges he might face.
Born on September 14, 1993, Nick Reiner is the couple’s middle child – he has an older brother, Jake, and Romy, is his younger sister. Nick Reiner has previously claimed that he “didn’t bond a lot” with his father during childhood.
Joe Sommerlad reports.
Who is Nick Reiner, son of Rob Reiner, arrested after his parents were found stabbed?
'A tremendous loss': Jimmy Fallon remembers Rob Reiner
05:30 , Josh MarcusJimmy Fallon gave an emotional remembrance of Rob Reiner during his show tonight.
The late night host said Reiner’s frequent visits to the show frequently drew lines of people outside his dressing room, where cast and crew would thank Reiner for the ways his numerous films and TV shows had touched their lives.
“He is one of the smartest and funniest people I have ever met, what a tremendous loss,” Fallon said during the broadcast. “And he leaves behind such a legacy. Thank you for all the great work on and offscreen, and continuing to be an inspiration to me and millions of people around the world. In the end, I’m going to remember all the laughs that you’ve given us.”
'Nonsense': Bakari Sellers tears into evangelicals around Trump after Reiner attacks
05:00 , Josh MarcusCNN commentator Bakari Sellers delivered a passionate monologue Monday night criticizing the evangelicals around Donald Trump, after the president has continued to attack Rob Reiner following the director’s killing over the weekend.
Sellers also criticized the president, saying he appeared to be “incapable” of feeling empathy, but reserved special ire for the religious leaders around Trump, given their ostensible commitment to Christian values like love and turning the other cheek.
“The bigger condemnation I have is for those individuals who call themselves evangelical Christians, who surround the president of the United States, but then look at this type of nonsense and turn a blind eye to it,” Sellers said.
The comments may be in reference to figures like House Speaker Mike Johnson, himself an evangelical Christian, who has largely avoided commenting on Trump’s remarks.
Nick Reiner left scene after death of Rob and Michele: report
04:40 , Josh MarcusNick Reiner, son of the slain film director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele, was not arrested at the scene of the alleged murders, a law enforcement source told ABC7.
Instead, he was taken into custody near the University of Southern California, the station reports.
'I came from the greatest family ever,' Rob Reiner's daughter says
04:20 , Josh MarcusThe shock killing of Rob and Michele Reiner, allegedly at the hands of their son Nick Reiner, 32, is at odds with a tight-knit family life the Hollywood couple had created around themselves.
“I came from the greatest family ever,” Tracy Reiner, Rob Reiner’s adopted daughter from a previous marriage, told NBC News. “I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock.”
Associates have told multiple media outlets they saw Rob and Nick arguing at a Christmas party on Saturday, a day before the director and his wife were found dead.
ICYMI: The Independent's tribute to Rob Reiner's indelible film legacy
04:00 , Josh MarcusNothing is typically romantic about a corporate logo, but when I think of Rob Reiner, I think of Castle Rock. Reiner, whose death at the age of 78 is being investigated as a homicide, co-created the production company in 1987, and I find that little more encapsulates the grand, wistful magic of moviemaking than the animation that opens the films it made, or closes out the TV it produced. In it, the lamp from a lighthouse twirls around the night sky, illuminating the sea and the land, while a glorious orange sun rises behind it. For its later incarnations, a musical flutter – stardust, it sounds like – serenades its eventual fade to black. The Castle Rock Entertainment logo introduces films including the seminal romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally..., which Reiner directed, as well as The Shawshank Redemption, Before Sunrise, Miss Congeniality and Christopher Guest’s canine mockumentary Best in Show. It shows up at the end of every episode of Seinfeld.
These animated logos – or “bumpers”, as they’re officially known – are designed to say lots with little. If the bouncing table lamp of Pixar promised slapstick ingenuity, or the majestic wallop of 20th Century-Fox’s floodlights and trumpets teased pure grandeur, the appearance of Castle Rock meant you were in store for a hug. The works this stamp preceded were enveloping and character-driven, usually shot in autumnal or wintry climates, and dealt in very human conundrums even if their contexts were fantastical: love, grief, betrayal, obsession. And those films took after Reiner himself, whose work as a director was broad in scope and tone, more often than not kind and tender, and slightly astonishing in its cultural significance.
Read the full tribute from Adam White.
Rob Reiner and son argued night before director and his wife were found dead: partygoer
03:40 , Josh Marcus
Authorities have only described a few details about the investigation into the killing of Rob and Michele Reiner.
They have named and arrested a suspect, the pair’s son, Nick, and that’s largely the end of it.
Individuals close to the Reiners, however, have begun to provide more information on what they say happened in the hours before the couple were found dead in their Brentwood home on Sunday.
Rob and Nick Reiner got into a heated argument on Saturday at a Christmas party hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, in which Rob told Nick his behavior was inappropriate, an unnamed source told The New York Times.
'He saw something no one else could': Seinfeld remembers Rob Reiner
03:25 , Josh Marcus
Without Rob Reiner, there would be no Jerry Seinfeld, according to the comedian.
In a tribute post on Instagram on Monday, the Seinfeld star spoke of how Reiner, as a producer, protected the fledgling sitcom that would make Seinfeld a household name.
“Our show would have never happened without him,” Seinfeld wrote. “He saw something no one else could. When nobody at the network liked the early episodes, he saved us from cancellation.”
“Rob and Michele married right as our show was starting and they became an imprint for me of how it’s supposed to work, each one broadening the other,” Seinfeld added of the slain couple. “Their death, together, is impossibly sad.”
'They were delightful': Seth Meyers pays tribute to the Reiners in opening monologue
03:05 , Josh MarcusLate night host Seth Meyers saluted the late Rob and Michele Reiner on his show on Monday, describing the pair as “delightful people to be in a room with.”
Meyers shared a memorable night he spent with the Reiners a few years ago at TV legend Norman Lear’s 100th birthday. Rob Reiner patiently helped the aging Lear share story after of the Hollywood golden years, delighting the gathered crowd.
“Rob had this reputation for getting the best out of people, and if you watch his films you know that is is something he had this skill with,” Meyers said, “but to see him in person and know that’s what he was like in his real life as well, it was just so truly special to see.”
'Infuriating': Conservative actor James Woods slams those trashing Rob Reiner after murder
02:39 , Josh MarcusActor James Wood says he has had it with people slandering Rob Reiner after the director’s murder over the weekend.
“When people say horrible things about Rob right now, I find it infuriating and distasteful,” he told Fox News on Monday night. “Did I agree with his politics? I did not. Did I love him as a friend, as an artist, as an icon of Hollywood and as a patriot? I most certainly did. I am just absolutely devastated by this terrible event, especially for his family and for all of America and for film-lovers across the world.”
Woods, whose conservative politics differed from Reiner’s progressive ones, worked with Reiner on the 1990s film Ghosts of Mississippi.
“The studio didn’t think I was old enough to do the part, but Rob fought for me,” Woods wrote earlier on X. “Political differences never stood in the way of our love and respect for each other. I am devastated by this terrible event.”
The condemnation from Woods comes after Donald Trump and some of his MAGA allies have attacked Reiner, pointing to the Hollywood legend’s anti-Trump views as a sign of “Trump derangement syndrome,” which the president claims was responsible for his death.
Woods, during the Fox News interview, said the liberal Reiner did not engage in the same kind of character attacks on the conservative activist Charlie Kirk after he was killed earlier this year.
The most impactful deaths in 2025 from the pope to Ozzy Osbourne and Charlie Kirk
'It's hard to get my mind around': Reiner's creative partner reflects on life of friendship
02:24 , Josh Marcus
Alan Horn, a longtime friend of Rob and Michele Reiner’s, says he is still in shock after the couple’s tragic double murder over the weekend.
“It’s hard to get my mind around the fact that this did in fact happen, that our dear friends Rob and Michele were literally murdered,” Horn, who co-founded Castle Rock Entertainment with Reiner, told CNN on Monday night. “When we first heard the news we simply could not believe it.”
Horn said he had just seen the Reiners after the director spoke at a dedication ceremony for a screening room at Warner Bros. named in Horn’s honor.
The two first began collaborating in 1973.
“We are still in the process of getting our heads around it,” Horn added. “It’s impossibly hard, not just for us of course, but for all of those who loved him, loved his family. He had a lot of friends.”
VIDEO: Mike Johnson ducks Independent's question about Rob Reiner
02:05 , Josh MarcusNick Reiner is 'responsible' for parents' death: LAPD
01:51 , Josh MarcusLos Angeles police say Nick Reiner is “responsible” for the killing of his parents, Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, who were found dead on Sunday.
“As a result of the initial investigation, it was determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide,” police wrote in a statement on X. “The investigation further revealed that Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Robert and Michele Reiner, was responsible for their deaths.”
The 32-year-old, who has not been convicted of any crimes, was arrested around 9:15pm on Sunday and is in police custody in Los Angeles.
LAPD News: Detectives Announce Arrest in Murder of Robert and Michele Reiner pic.twitter.com/0Mn7P81GVA
— LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) December 15, 2025
'Nick was freaking everyone out,' source claims about alleged party argument before Reiner killings
01:20 , Josh MarcusThe day before the Reiners were found dead, Rob Reiner and his son, primary suspect Nick, were reportedly seen having a heated argument at a Christmas party hosted by Conan O’Brien.
"Nick was freaking everyone out, acting crazy, kept asking people if they were famous,” an anonymous source told People of the alleged blow-up.
While that account is unconfirmed by authorities, here’s what we do know of the slayings.
Rob Reiner’s son, 32, arrested after filmmaker and wife found dead at LA home
Maria Shriver: Reiners were 'in the best place in their lives' shortly before killings
01:00 , Josh MarcusFriends and collaborators are sharing their final memories of Rob and Michele Reiner.
Maria Shriver, the journalist and former First Lady of California, said the couple were in a great place in their lives on the eve of their apparent murder.
“We had dinner this past week, and they were in the best place in the their lives: loving one another, loving their friends, their family, their country,” she wrote on X. “They never gave up on our country. They wanted to make it better. They always, always wanted to make our world better, and they were willing to fight to make it the country they loved.”
Actually, Trump's Rob Reiner comments were 'respectful,' MAGA senator claims
00:40 , Josh MarcusAll across Capitol Hill today, Republicans have either been dodging questions about Trump’s highly inflammatory comment that Rob Reiner was killed because of his “Trump derangement syndrome,” or they have been joined in the criticism that the president went too far.
However, speaking with CNN on Monday, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a close ally of the president, claimed Trump’s tirade about the slain actor was in fact “respectful.”
"I don't think they're controversial. Because he was respectful to him, said he was once a really good actor and all that. And pointed out the fact that he didn't like him at all, but wished him, you know, ended the text fine," he told CNN. "You guys make out at what you want. I didn't think it was distasteful at all."
"It's no secret, the guy does not like President Trump,” Mullin added. “President Trump went up and still did it in a very nice way.”
Catch up on the controversy here.
Trump’s comment on Rob Reiner’s stabbing triggers outcry from MTG
Faced with questions from our reporter, Mike Johnson again avoids commenting on Trump's Rob Reiner tirade
00:20 , Josh MarcusHouse Speaker Mike Johnson has spent the day dodging questions about President Trump’s widely criticized comments that Rob Reiner died of “Trump derangement syndrome.”
Earlier today, Johnson ducked away from a press gaggle without commenting directly on the president’s remarks.
However, our very own Eric Garcia was able to get a little bit more out of the GOP leader the second time around.
“I don’t do ongoing commentary about every that’s said by everybody in government every day,” Johnson said. “We are trying to bring down healthcare costs for the American people. Very important votes, very important issues, and that’s what we’re focused on. I gave commentary this morning and you all heard it.”
PHOTOS: LA mourns the Reiners
00:00 , Josh Marcus
Even Fox News regulars think Trump went too far on Rob Reiner
Monday 15 December 2025 23:45 , Josh MarcusA group of regular on-air commentators on Fox News is criticizing Donald Trump for his highly aggressive post about the murdered Rob Reiner, who he said died of “Trump derangement syndrome.”
In an X post of his own, Jonathan Turley said the remarks lacked “any sense of restraint in light of this tragedy or any consideration for this grieving family.”
Fox podcaster Kennedy sounded a similar note, writing on X that Trump’s comments were “disgusting, unnecessary and inappropriate.”
Fox News political analyst Guy Benson, meanwhile, had just one word in response: “gross,” he wrote on X.
Laura Loomer, echoing Trump, offers scathing takedown of 'loser' Rob Reiner
Monday 15 December 2025 23:30 , Josh Marcus
Conspiracy theorist and outside Trump advisor Laura Loomer predictably echoed the president on Monday as she tore into the late Rob Reiner.
“Rob Reiner was a loser,” she wrote on X, adding a photo of a tweet where Reiner had called for Trump to go to prison.
“Naturally, his son was also a loser, and he got addicted to drugs and allegedly murdered his parents,” Loomer added. “Looks like Rob should’ve spent more time parenting & less time spreading Russia conspiracy hoaxes about President Trump. I stand with President Trump.”
The comments come after the president himself blamed “Trump derangement syndrome,” a non-existent medical condition those on the right often accuse people on the left of having, for the apparent murder of the Reiners.
WATCH: California Gov. Gavin Newsom pays tribute to 'friend' Rob Reiner
Monday 15 December 2025 23:15 , Josh MarcusCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom is one of scores of notable political and entertainment figures paying tribute to the slain Rob and Michele Reiner.
Newsom, in a video address, said he first met Rob during the early 2000s, when the pair were allies in the fight for same-sex marriage at a time when it was a far less politically popular position.
“He had my back at a time when a lot of members of my own party, the Democratic party, didn’t,” Newsom said. “He’s been a friend for decades.”
The pair had last spoken just weeks ago on a Zoom call.
“I was just reminded about how consistent they’ve been, how constant they’ve been, in the cause of not just protecting democracy, but promoting wellbeing, and social justice, racial justice, economic justice,” Newsom said elsewhere in his remarks.
Watch the full clip below.
A note on my friend, Rob Reiner — a man of courage and conviction. pic.twitter.com/Fpk5Nj270s
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) December 15, 2025
Mike Johnson ducks questions about Trump comments on Rob Reiner
Monday 15 December 2025 23:00 , Josh MarcusHouse Speaker Mike Johnson appeared eager to dodge questions on Monday about Donald Trump’s recent, highly partisan comments about the killing of Rob Reiner.
Speaking to the press, Johnson offered his condolences and called the killings an “unspeakable family tragedy.”
“It's another reminder of just the senseless violence and evil that's so rampant in our society,” he added, mentioning recent shootings in Australia and at Brown University.
He then swiftly left the room as reporters shouted after him about Trump.
What comes next in the Nick Reiner investigation?
Monday 15 December 2025 22:47 , Josh Marcus
Police have arrested Rob and Michele Reiner’s son Nick, 32, and accused him of being “responsible for their deaths.”
Nick remains in custody at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles, according to sheriff’s records, with no bail as police investigate the case.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will receive the case for filing consideration, according to the LAPD.
Another Republican condemns 'reckless' Trump comments on Rob Reiner death
Monday 15 December 2025 22:32 , Josh MarcusFormer Ohio governor and presidential candidate John Kasich is the latest prominent Republican to condemn Donald Trump’s scathing comments about Rob Reiner after his apparent murder over the weekend.
“I had the pleasure to meet Rob Reiner years ago, and he was very kind to me,” Kasich wrote on X. “Anyone trying to turn false claims about his death into a political moment is dead wrong. This kind of rhetoric is reckless, hurtful, and beneath us.”
Trump, who blamed the stabbing death on “Trump derangement syndrome,” has faced widespread criticism for his comments, including from members of his own party.
Trump’s comment on Rob Reiner’s stabbing triggers outcry from MTG
Rob Reiner's multi-faceted political legacy
Monday 15 December 2025 22:18 , Josh Marcus
In addition to a string of classic movies, the slain Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner leaves behind a formidable political legacy.
Reiner was an outspoken advocate for progressive causes, including early childhood development and the LGBTQ+ community.
His organization, American Foundation for Equal Rights, helped lead the fight to overturn Proposition 8 in California, which had previously banned same-sex marriage.
“Here’s this unique human being who really did make the leap between entertainment and politics,” Democratic strategist Ace Smith told the Los Angeles Times. “And he really spent the time to understand policy, really, in its true depth, and to make a huge impact in California.”
On the national stage, Reiner was a prominent supporter of the Democratic Party, as well as an often strident critic of Donald Trump, whom he once called “the single-most unqualified human-being to ever assume the presidency of the United States.”
It was this perch as a top Hollywood progressive that likely infuriated Trump, who declined to join the bipartisan wave of figures mourning Reiner and instead declared the filmmaker and his wife had died of “Trump derangement syndrome.”
Here’s some of our past coverage on Reiner in the political sphere.
Joe Biden loses crucial support from big Hollywood director donor
Rob Reiner: 'If we’re not able to slow Trump down, he'll be worse than Bush'
PHOTOS: Drone shots show LA home where Rob Reiner found dead
Monday 15 December 2025 22:00 , Josh MarcusNewly released photos show the home in Brentwood, an upscale neighborhood in Los Angeles, where director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead on Sunday afternoon.
On Monday, a security guard was seen standing in front of the home’s entrance gate, where private property signs have been posted.
'A crushing loss': Actor Tim Robbins said he feels 'indebted' to Reiner
Monday 15 December 2025 21:45 , Kelly RissmanAcademy-award winning actor Tim Robbins said he was “devastated” by the news of the couple’s death in an emotional tribute.
Robbins appeared in The Sure Thing, a 1985 romantic comedy that Reiner directed, and starred in The Shawshank Redemption, a 1994 drama that Reiner produced.
“I am devastated by the death of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. He was an inspired and brilliant director and a kind, good, loving man who lived his life as a tireless and generous advocate for others,” the actor wrote on X.
“I am indebted to Rob for giving me a leg up in this business, casting me in the first film I could be proud of being in, The Sure Thing and later giving me the gift of a lifetime when I was cast in The Shawshank Redemption, a film Rob produced,” he continued.
“My heart goes out to his family and the thousands of people in the film business that were lucky enough to work with him, witness his great talent and be invited into his large, loving heart. This is a crushing loss. All my love and prayers to Rob and Michele. Flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”
WATCH: Trump calls Rob Reiner 'a deranged person' as he doubles down on criticism of dead director
Monday 15 December 2025 21:30 , Kelly RissmanIn photos: Flowers placed outside of celebrated couples' home
Monday 15 December 2025 21:15 , Kelly RissmanFlowers and a candle were placed outside of the Reiners’ home on Monday, one day after the pair were murdered.
Trump doubled down on attack of Rob Reiner: 'I thought he was very bad for our country'
Monday 15 December 2025 20:54 , Kelly RissmanDespite his heavily criticized Truth Social post, President Donald Trump doubled down on his scathing remarks about Rob Reiner, just after his death.
Asked if he stood by the post, the president said in the Oval Office Monday: "Well, I wasn't a fan of his at all. He was a deranged person, as far as Trump is concerned.”
“He said...that I was a friend of Russia, controlled by Russia, you know, the Russia hoax, he was one of the people behind it. I think he hurt himself career wise,” Trump continued. “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."
'Shameful': Members of Congress, from both sides of the aisle, lambast Trump's post
Monday 15 December 2025 20:45 , Kelly RissmanLawmakers continue to bash President Donald Trump’s remarks in the wake of Rob Reiner’s death as “shameful.”
Democrats and Republicans alike sharply criticized Trump’s Truth Social post in which he chalked up the beloved director’s death to “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
“The brutal murder of Rob and Michele Reiner is a tragedy. But rather than showing a shred of decency and empathy, the President of the United States is making it about himself,” Colorado Democratic Rep. Jason Crow wrote. “Absolutely shameful.”
New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler slammed: “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.”
According to CNN’s Jake Tapper, Nebraska GOP Rep. Don Bacon said: ”I’d expect to hear something like this from a drunk guy at a bar, not the President of the United States. Can the President be presidential?”
Fellow filmmaker gushes over Reiner as 'extraordinary' director in tribute post
Monday 15 December 2025 20:30 , Kelly RissmanFilmmaker and author Guillermo del Toro described Rob Reiner as an “extraordinary” director in a warm tribute.
“Rob Reiner was a true and good human being and an extraordinary director. He was vital and honest and him and Michele were cornerstones of their community and committed to their art and the good of everyone around them,” he wrote on X. “A staggering loss.”
Rob Reiner was a true and good human being and an extraordinary director. He was vital and honest and him and amichele were cornerstones of their community and committed to their art and the good of everyone around them. A staggering loss.
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) December 15, 2025
'Indelible impact on American entertainment': Al Gore gives touching tribute
Monday 15 December 2025 20:15 , Kelly RissmanFormer Vice President Al Gore called the deaths of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer “heartbreaking” in an emotional tribute.
“Losing Rob and Michele Reiner is truly heartbreaking. They were loyal friends and among the kindest people I have ever met,” Gore wrote on X.
“Rob made an indelible impact on American entertainment, but what stands out most to me is how he and Michele worked together to champion democracy, LGBTQ+ rights, and, above all, empathy and compassion. I am thinking of everyone who is feeling this loss so deeply today.”
Losing Rob and Michele Reiner is truly heartbreaking. They were loyal friends and among the kindest people I have ever met. Rob made an indelible impact on American entertainment, but what stands out most to me is how he and Michele worked together to champion democracy, LGBTQ+…
— Al Gore (@algore) December 15, 2025
Nick Reiner responsible for deaths of parents, LA Police Department says
Monday 15 December 2025 20:01 , Kelly RissmanThe LAPD announced Monday that Nick Reiner was responsible for the deaths of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, according to a statement.
Detectives issued a news release Monday that confirmed the 32-year-old's arrest and booking for murder.
Police were called to the family home on Chadbourne Avenue in Brentwood around 3:40 p.m. Sunday.
"As a result of the initial investigation, it was determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide," the statement reads.
Nick Reiner was arrested at approximately 9:15 p.m Sunday. He remains in custody with no bail.
The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for filing consideration Tuesday.
WATCH: Trump sparks outrage by mocking brutal slaying of critic Rob Reiner
Monday 15 December 2025 20:00 , Kelly RissmanNo bail for Rob Reiner's son after police initially set at $4M
Monday 15 December 2025 19:29 , Kelly RissmanThe bail conditions for Nick Reiner changed late Monday morning.
Nick Reiner, 32, has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the deaths of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
The 32-year-old was being held on $4 million bail, according to an online booking record early Monday. It was updated, just after 11 a.m. (Pacific Time), to show no bail.
It’s not immediately clear what led to the change.
Flowers cover Reiner's Hollywood Walk of Fame star
Monday 15 December 2025 19:15 , Kelly RissmanFlowers were laid at Rob Reiner's Hollywood 'Walk of Fame' star Monday.
The acclaimed director received the award after Reiner made several hit films, including The American President and A Few Good Men.
Carl Reiner, the director’s father, attended the award ceremony.
LA Dodgers gives tribute to Reiner, a huge baseball fan
Monday 15 December 2025 19:15 , Kelly RissmanThe Los Angeles Dodgers offered condolences following the death of Rob Reiner, a longtime baseball fan.
“The Dodgers express our deep sorrow and share our condolences over the passing of longtime fan Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele,” the official X account for the Los Angeles Dodgers wrote.
In 2023, the director told People that he inherited his love of America’s pastime from his father, Carl Reiner. “My dad was a huge, huge baseball fan. He passed it onto me, and I passed it onto Jake,” he said, referring to his son.
In July 2014, the celebrity threw out the first pitch ahead of the game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.
'Absolutely devastated': Zooey Deschanel posts heartfelt tribute for legendary director
Monday 15 December 2025 19:05 , Kelly RissmanActor Zooey Deschanel praised Rob Reiner as being a “truly good human being” in a touching tribute.
“My heart is broken. Rob Reiner was the absolute warmest, funniest, most generous of spirits. A truly good human being. An incredible artist and such a playful and fun collaborator. I cherish the time we spent working together and the many films he made that have shaped who I am,” she wrote on Instagram Monday.
“Rob and his lovely wife Michele were always so kind and it brought me so much joy any time I was lucky enough to see them,” she said. “I’m absolutely devastated. Sending so much love to their family and friends.”
Reiner and son Nick had argument at party night before murders
Monday 15 December 2025 18:41 , Andrea CavallierRob Reiner and his 32-year-old son Nick were seen getting into an argument at a party at Conan O’Brien’s home on Saturday night, family friends told the LA Times.
Several people at the party noticed the younger Reiner “acting strangely,” the friends told the outlet.
The iconic director and his wife Michele Singer were found dead at their Brentwood home the next day. Romy, the pair’s youngest child, reportedly found them.
Nick was taken into custody Sunday evening and questioned for hours.
Police confirmed Monday he was booked on suspicion of murder in connection with their deaths.
Maria Shriver had dinner with Reiners just days before they were killed, says 'they were in the best place in their lives'
Monday 15 December 2025 18:31 , Andrea CavallierMaria Shriver posted an emotional tribute to Rob Reiner and Michele Singer, recalling how they had dinner together just this past week.
“We had dinner this past week, and they were in the best place in the their lives: loving one another, loving their friends, their family, their country,” she wrote: “They never gave up on our country. They wanted to make it better. They always, always wanted to make our world better, and they were willing to fight to make it the country they loved.”
“I loved them, and I knew they loved me, for any friend like that is such a gift,” she continued. “ They gave me and all their friends that gift all the time. They loved their kids so much, and they never stopped trying to be really good parents. My love is with their family. I’m so sad for them. I’m devastated, gutted, shocked, stunned, and so deeply saddened, as are all of the people who loved them and who they loved. I hope people remember them as two deeply talented, kind, fun, loving, good, patriotic people who loved each other deeply.”
I loved Michele and Rob Reiner. They were among my closest friends. We raised our kids together, from mommy and me on up. We laughed together, we cried together, we played together, we dreamed together. We had dinner this past week, and they were in the best place in the their… pic.twitter.com/TCDRkyAzqy
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) December 15, 2025
What has the family said in the wake of the Reiners' death?
Monday 15 December 2025 18:20 , Kelly RissmanAfter Rob Reiner and Michele Singer were killed Sunday at their Los Angeles home, their son Nick was “booked for murder,” according to LAPD.
“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time,” a family spokesperson said in a statement.
Tracy Reiner, the biological daughter of Reiner’s ex-wife Penny Marshall and his adopted daughter, told NBC News that she was in “shock” after hearing about their deaths.
“I came from the greatest family ever,” she told the outlet Sunday. “I don’t know what to say, I’m in shock.”
