Legendary director and actor Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, 68, were found dead at their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025, in what authorities have confirmed as a homicide. Their son, Nick Reiner, 32, has been arrested and charged with their murders, marking a tragic end to a family whose legacy has shaped Hollywood and progressive activism for decades. The Los Angeles Police Department is continuing its investigation, with the official cause and manner of death pending the county medical examiner’s report.
The news sent shockwaves through Hollywood and political circles, with tributes pouring in from actors, directors, and politicians. Josh Gad called Rob and Michele “two of the most compassionate and loving souls imaginable,” while Sophia Bush described the loss as “utterly broken,” praising Reiner’s advocacy for democracy and empathy in his work. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi remembered Reiner as “creative, funny, and beloved,” and California Governor Gavin Newsom called the deaths “a devastating loss for our city and our country”.
However, the tragedy quickly became politicized when President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, suggesting Reiner’s death was linked to his vocal opposition to Trump, referencing what he termed “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Trump wrote: “A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. 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”.
Whoopi Goldberg, co-host of “The View,” responded with outrage, telling her colleagues not to read Trump’s remarks on air. “Have you no shame?” Goldberg asked, expressing disbelief that the president would politicize such a personal and tragic event. Her comments echoed a broader backlash from Hollywood, with many stars condemning Trump’s post as “disgusting” and “heartless”. Some Republicans also distanced themselves from Trump’s statement, calling it “unpresidential”.
Rob Reiner was best known for directing classics like “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally,” and “A Few Good Men,” and for his activism, particularly on gun control and social justice issues. His passing not only leaves a void in the entertainment industry but also serves as a somber reminder of the impact of political polarization on public discourse.
