Republican Representative Thomas Massie said of Trump’s comments: “This is inappropriate and disrespectful speech toward a man who was just brutally murdered.”
Rob Reiner’s son Nick in police custody on suspicion of murder
Nick Reiner, the son of murdered director Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle Singer, has been taken into police custody.
President Donald Trump drew strong bipartisan criticism for criticizing acclaimed film director and actor Rob Reiner so soon after his death, with Republican lawmakers calling his response “wrong” and “disrespectful.”
Reiner and his wife Michelle Singer were murdered in their Los Angeles home on December 14th. President Trump said in a social media post the next day that Reiner’s death was “reportedly due to anger he provoked in others due to a paralyzing illness known as Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
“He was known for driving people crazy with his rabid obsession with President Donald J. Trump,” the president added.
Trump continued to criticize Reiner at a White House event later that day, responding to questions about Republican backlash to his social media posts and whether he supported them, saying, “I was never a fan of his. As far as Trump goes, he was a crazy person.”
There is no suggestion from officials that Reiner’s death had anything to do with his political beliefs. Police took Mr. Reiner’s son, Nick Reiner, into custody and charged him with murder, with bail initially set at $4 million but being held without bail, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department records reviewed by USA TODAY.
Trump’s response to Reiner’s death was quickly rejected by many on both the left and the right.
“Regardless of how you feel about Rob Reiner, this is an inappropriate and disrespectful remark about a man who was just brutally murdered,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who has opposed President Trump, said on social media.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who has also opposed Trump, also shared a post about Reiner, saying, “This is a family tragedy, not about politics or political opponents.”
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said President Trump’s comments about Reiner were “wrong.”
“This is a terrible tragedy that should evoke sympathy and sympathy from everyone in our country,” Lawler added.
Russell Moore, a conservative Christian theologian, Trump critic and former official at the Southern Baptist Convention, was more scathing.
“How this vile, hateful and immoral behavior became normalized in America is a shame for our generation, as our descendants will learn in school,” Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today magazine, wrote on social media.
President Trump’s attacks on Reiner contrasted with praise for the Hollywood icon from other politicians and entertainment industry leaders.
Former President Barack Obama posted on social media: “Rob’s legacy in film and television has brought some of our most important stories to the screen.” “But underlying every story he created was a deep belief in human goodness and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action.”
Reiner, 78, has repeatedly criticized President Trump. “We have one year left until this country becomes a complete dictatorship and democracy leaves us completely,” he said during an October appearance on MSNBC, according to The Hill. He told Variety in 2017 that Trump is “mentally unfit to be president.”
Trump often lashes out at his political opponents, and in the past has continued to do so even after their opponents’ deaths.
The president continued to attack Republican Sen. John McCain even after his death in 2018.
“Honestly, I didn’t really like McCain,” Trump said of McCain in a 2019 speech in Ohio.
Mr. Trump’s criticism of Mr. McCain worried some Republicans at the time, but Mr. McCain remained undaunted and maintained a strong grip on the Republican Party. But the number of conservative voices speaking out in response to President Trump’s comments about Reiner is notable.
“A father and mother were murdered at the hands of their troubled son,” Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) wrote in a social media response. “We should not make this about politics, but rather lift up families through prayer.”
Many Democrats also reacted strongly to President Trump’s remarks.
“Rob Reiner was a beloved Californian who always used his platform to make the world a better place,” Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) wrote on social media. “Donald Trump’s downplaying the murders of himself and his wife is a new low for this vile, hateful man.”
Known for starring in “All in the Family” and directing films such as “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally,” and “A Few Good Men,” Reiner was outspoken about his political views, supported progressive causes, and helped raise money for the Democratic Party.
contribution: Contributors: Brendan Morrow, Annika Reid, kinsey crowley, Joey Garrison
