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Trump critical of Rob Reiner in Truth Social post
The morning after it was reported that Rob Reiner and his wife were murdered in their Los Angeles area home, President Trump posted a reaction on Truth Social that appeared to blame Reiner's death on his dislike of President Trump. Trump's post drew criticism from multiple sides of the political aisle.
WASHINGTON - Some conservatives are speaking out against President Donald Trump’s social media post on Monday, which blamed actor and director Rob Reiner’s death on "Trump Derangement Syndrome."
The statement came as police were still investigating the deaths of the beloved director and his wife Michele Singer Reiner as an apparent homicide.
The couple were found dead at their home Sunday in Los Angeles. Investigators believe they suffered stab wounds, and the couple's son, Nick Reiner, was in police custody on Monday.
Trump on Rob Reiner
What they're saying:
Trump, in a post on his social media network, said that Reiner and his wife were killed "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."
RELATED: Rob Reiner's 32-year-old son arrested, held on $4M bail after parents killings
"A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday. "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."
President Donald Trump posted an unsubstantiated social media message blaming Rob Reiner’s outspoken criticism of him for Reiner’s death. (Credit: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for TCM, Luke Hales/Getty Images)
He said Reiner "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 did not mention his personal connection to Reiner's wife, who was a photographer. Peter Osnos, the original publisher of "The Art of the Deal," confirmed Monday that Michele Singer took the cover image of Trump’s 1987 bestseller.
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President Trump elaborates on his Rob Reiner comments
During a press conference in the Oval Office for awarding border patrol agents, President Trump responded to a question about his Truth Social post that was denounced by multiple GOP lawmakers as inappropriate in the wake of Reiner's killing this weekend.
Speaking at the White House to reporters later Monday, Trump doubled down on his criticism of Reiner when he was asked if he stood by his post. Using the third person, Trump said Reiner "was a deranged person as far as Trump is concerned."
"I was not a fan of Rob Reiner at all, in any way shape or form," Trump said. "I thought he was very bad for our country."
Trump criticized for message from conservatives
The other side:
Since posting his comment, Trump’s message has drawn criticism, even from Republicans and his supporters.
Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who has bucked much of his party’s lockstep agreement with the president, criticized Trump for the comment.
"Regardless of how you felt about Rob Reiner, this is inappropriate and disrespectful discourse about a man who was just brutally murdered," Massie wrote in a post on X. "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."
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican whom Trump branded a "traitor" for disagreeing with him, responded to Trump's message by saying, "This is a family tragedy, not about politics or political enemies."
The White House did not respond to a message about the criticism it was receiving and calls for Trump to take it down.
Trump's former lawyer Jenna Ellis also added, "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."
Republican Reps. Mike Lawler of New York and Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma also posted messages criticizing Trump's message, according to the Associated Press.
Reiner was an active Democrat in film industry
The backstory:
Reiner was one of the most active Democrats in the film industry, regularly campaigning on behalf of liberal causes and hosting fundraisers.
RELATED: List: Rob Reiner’s movie and TV shows
He was a vocal critic of Trump, calling him in a 2017 interview with Variety "mentally unfit" to be president and "the single-most unqualified human being to ever assume the presidency of the United States."
The Source: The information for this story was provided by Truth Social, X. This story was reported from Los Angeles. The Associated Press contributed.