🔗 Share this article Fury Explodes as Former President Trump's Post on Rob Reiner Spurs Fierce Backlash Individuals from across the political aisle and the Hollywood industry are uniting to censure former President Donald Trump for his comments in the wake of the tragic passing of acclaimed filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele. An Inflammatory Social Media Post Following the discovery of the couple deceased at their Los Angeles residence, Trump took to social media to label the late director as "anguished and struggling". In a post, he asserted Reiner's death was "because of the anger he caused others through his enormous, unyielding, and incurable condition with a debilitating disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME". The post then pivoted to self-praise, juxtaposing Reiner's alleged "raging obsession" and "obvious paranoia" with what Trump described as the "Golden Age of America". Police Developments and Arrest Authorities have since confirmed the arrest of the couple's 32-year-old son, Nick, on suspicion of homicide in relation to the case. Reports indicate his bail was set at a significant sum. A Torrent of Criticism from Celebrities and Politicians The reaction to Trump's post was swift and scathing. “What a appalling and despicable comment,” said actor Patrick Schwarzenegger. Television host Whoopi Goldberg, who called Reiner a close acquaintance, similarly criticized the remarks. She pointed to previous rhetoric from Trump about the killing of an activist, demanding, "Have you no shame? Can you get any worse?" The state of California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, simply wrote, "He is a sick man." Echoing this sentiment, US House member Maxwell Alejandro Frost declared, "What a despicable piece of trash." Senator Chris Murphy added, "He's just crossed a line. Now saying the Reiners brought on their own demise because they opposed him. So sick." Rebuke from Within Party A number of Republican elected officials also expressed dismay. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene emphasized that the event was "a personal tragedy, not about politics or rivals". Greene also mentioned struggles with substance abuse and mental health within families. Fellow GOP representative, Thomas Massie, labeled Trump's discourse "inappropriate and disgraceful" considering the circumstances. He openly challenged members in his political party to defend the comments. Reiner's History and Stance on Trump Rob Reiner was consistently a vocal critic of Donald Trump. During a past conversation, he stated Trump was "not psychologically suited" for the office. He had also warned about the risks of autocracy if Trump be reelected to power. "There is authoritarianism making its move around the world," Reiner said. "If we crumble, there’s a danger that democratic systems collapse around the world." Regardless of his strong opposition, Reiner had in the past expressed "complete revulsion" and denounced violence for political ends without reservation after the shooting of another individual. An Ironic Link: The Art of the Deal Providing a element of historical irony, Michele Reiner, formerly Michele Singer, was the photographer who captured the cover image for Donald Trump's iconic book, The Art of the Deal. Rob Reiner had previously recounted the anecdote of the photo shoot, mentioning Trump's request for "special hairspray" as being photographed on a high-rise with a view of Central Park.