President Donald Trump addressed questions from reporters on Monday regarding a social media post he issued following the death of actor and director Rob Reiner and Reiner’s wife, Michele, who were found dead inside their Brentwood home. Law enforcement authorities have said the deaths remain under investigation. Trump’s remarks came during a press availability in which he was asked to clarify whether he stood by statements he posted on Truth Social shortly after the news became public.
A reporter asked, “Mr. President, a number of Republicans have denounced your statement on Truth Social after the murder of Rob Reiner, do you stand by that post?” Trump replied, “Well, I wasn’t a fan of his at all.” He continued, “He was a deranged person, as far as Trump is concerned. He said — he knew it was false, in fact it’s the exact opposite — that I was a friend of Russia, controlled by Russia. The Russia Hoax — he was one of the people behind it. I think he hurt himself career-wise.”
Trump’s comments referenced Reiner’s long-standing public criticism of him, particularly surrounding allegations made during and after the 2016 presidential election. In September 2017, Reiner joined with former Obama administration officials, journalists, and other Trump critics to launch the Committee to Investigate Russia. The organization describes itself on its website as a “nonprofit, non-partisan resource provided to help Americans recognize and understand the gravity of Russia’s continuing attacks on our democracy.” Reiner was a visible public supporter of the group and frequently spoke about concerns related to Russian influence in U.S. politics.
Over the years, Reiner used interviews and public statements to accuse Trump and his campaign of ties to Russia. Trump has consistently denied those claims and has characterized the broader investigation into Russian election interference as unfounded. During Monday’s exchange, Trump reiterated his personal view of Reiner, stating that he was “not a fan of Rob Reiner at all,” and again used the phrase “Trump Derangement Syndrome” to describe Reiner’s criticisms.
The exchange also renewed attention to previous public statements made by Reiner on other national events. In 2022, Reiner publicly linked the attack on Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) husband, Paul Pelosi, to Trump’s questioning of the 2020 presidential election results. Reiner claimed that “the violent assault on Paul Pelosi and the attempt to murder Speaker Pelosi” were connected to Trump’s statements about the election. Trump has rejected that assertion.
Trump’s remarks on Monday focused on his personal history with Reiner and the political disputes between them, rather than the ongoing investigation into Reiner’s death. Authorities have not indicated whether additional information about the circumstances surrounding the deaths will be released publicly, and officials have said the investigation remains active.
