...
By Jasmine Laws
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Movie director and actor Rob Reiner was a frequent critic of President Donald Trump and warned of the impact he would have on the country, not only regarding his second term as president, but also his first.
In 2017, Reiner said he thought Trump was "mentally unfit” to be president in an interview with Variety and said he was the "single most unqualified human being to ever assume the presidency of the United States."
The 78-year-old died over the weekend, and celebrities, including those who acted in his movies like Ben Stiller, and political figures, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, have been paying tributes to the Hollywood director.
Read More on News
Why It Matters
Reiner and his 68-year-old wife Michele Singer Reiner died in an "apparent homicide" in their Los Angeles home over the weekend.
Follow Newsweek's live blog on Rob Reiner's death for the latest updates.
According to various reports, citing authorities, the couple are believed to have suffered stab wounds, and a family member is being questioned by investigators.
Los Angeles Police and Fire departments responded to a call from the property at 3:40 p.m. Pacific Time (PT) on Sunday, and the deaths have been confirmed by a spokesperson of the family.
...
What To Know
In an interview with The Guardian last year, Reiner discussed the 2024 presidential race and warned that Trump's election could lead to America turning from a democracy into an "autocracy."
He said this would not only have implications on the U.S., but also across the globe, saying, "We see autocracy making its move around the world. And so if we crumble, there’s a danger that democracy crumbles around the world."
The director was also working on his documentary at the time, God and Country, which is about the rise of Christian nationalism in the U.S. and the impacts it has on democracy such as turning abortion into a religious issue, kick-starting conflict against democracy and other issues that lead to the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot.
Discussing this with The Guardian, Reiner said: "The foundation for it all was Christian nationalism, because finally they had found somebody like Donald Trump who they could funnel their ideas through."
Although, he added Trump himself was not particularly religious. "I think he can probably spell the word ‘bible’, I don’t think he’s ever read it and I don’t think he has any idea what’s in it. But they excuse all that by saying God works in mysterious ways, and that he sent us this flawed vessel by which we can achieve the goals that we want to achieve," Reiner said.
He also referred to Trump as a "criminal," and that he "basically lies every minute of his life." He even said Trump's bid to run again for president in 2024 made him like a "zombie or a cockroach."
Earlier this year, Reiner continued to warn of the impact he thought Trump would have on America after his election, saying he could bring about "full-on autocracy" to the country.
"The Hollywood community is very much aware of their First Amendment rights being impinged," he said during an October appearance on MSNBC.
In September, in an appearance on CNN, he also expressed his concern about speaking out against Trump, following the suspension of comedian Jimmy Kimmel from his late-night talk show: "This may be the last time you ever see me because... there's only a couple of us that are speaking out in this hard way. And I, we, hope and we know that there will be others."
He added: "Trump has declared war on this democracy. He throws people out of the country without due process. He takes funds that were appropriated by Congress, refuses to distribute them, in clear contradiction to the Constitution, the separation of powers."
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social reacting to Reiner's death: "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. He 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!"
What Happens Next?
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is continuing to investigate the deaths of Reiner and his wife.
Update 12/15/25, 10:03 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to include a Truth Social post from Trump.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines