The violent death of Rob Reiner (1947-2025) on Sunday shocked many people. LGBTQ+ organizations honored the involvement of the Hollywood director allegedly killed by his son, and of his wife Michele (TheColu.mn reported). In a stark departure, U.S. President Donald Trump offered a taunting response to the news of the deaths.
“Rob was nothing less than a legend,” said Kelley Robinson, head of the largest American LGBTQ+ rights group, the Human Rights Campaign. His TV shows and films are part of American history. “Yet despite all his Hollywood achievements, Rob and Michele will be remembered most for their enormous hearts and their passionate support for the causes they believed in — including LGBTQ+ equality.” Reiner helped found the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), which advocated for equal treatment of same-sex couples in marriage law.
Rob and Michele Reiner mobilized forces “that made marriage for all the law of the land,” Robinson continued. They remained committed to queer rights up to their final days. “The world is a darker place this morning without Rob and Michele — may they rest in power.”
The queer organization GLAAD also paid tribute on Facebook, noting that the Reiners were “passionate advocates” for LGBTQ+ rights. “Our hearts are with their families,” the post concluded.
Facebook / GLAAD
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Trump: Reiner Was Paranoid
Completely different was the response from U.S. President Donald Trump, who had often criticized Reiner’s policies. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the 79-year-old described the late Reiner as a “tormented and battling, but once very talented film director and comedy star.” He attributed the deaths of the couple to “the trouble he caused others through his massive, unrelenting, and incurable illness” — referring to what he called the so-called “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” i.e., his exaggerated hatred of Trump.
Reiner was “known for driving people into madness with his furious obsession for President Donald J. Trump, with his evident paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump administration surpassed all goals and expectations and the Golden Age of America dawned — perhaps like never before,” Trump said.
In remarks from the Oval Office, Trump reiterated his stance: He told CNN that Reiner was a “mentally disturbed person” and “very bad for our country.”
Trump’s remarks drew sharp criticism, even from some in his own ranks. Many reminded the president that his administration had launched a witch hunt against anyone who slightly criticized Kirk’s stance after the death of the anti-LGBTQ extremist Charlie Kirk. “No matter where you stood on Rob Reiner, this is an inappropriate and disrespectful discourse about a man who was brutally murdered,” wrote Republican U.S. Representative Thomas Massie on the X platform. However, leading Republicans in Congress declined to comment on their chief’s remarks — when asked by reporters, they mostly replied that they didn’t have time.
Reiner Son Charged with Murder
Jim McDonnell, the police chief of Los Angeles, confirmed at a press briefing that the slain couple’s son, Nick Reiner, has now been indicted on murder charges. According to records from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, he remains in custody, with bail set at four million U.S. dollars. Nick had already been questioned by the police’s homicide division on Sunday.
Nick had previously spoken openly about his struggles with drugs. In a 2016 interview with People magazine, he said he first entered a treatment facility around his 15th birthday, followed by 17 more stays in similar centers. He was briefly homeless at times. In 2015, Nick worked with his father on the film Being Charlie. He was the co-writer of the drama about a young drug addict, a story loosely based on his own experiences. (dk/spot)
