U.S. President Donald Trump looks on after signing executive orders inside the Capital One Arena on the inauguration day of his second presidential term, in Washington, U.S. January 20, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
I was not going to mention the tragic deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner because there’s far too much tragedy around us already. It appears to be a personal, family tragedy. (Police have arrested the Reiners’ son, Nick, in connection with their killing.)
But I can’t keep mum about Trump’s response to it.
Instead of extending sympathies to Rob and Michele Reiner and their family and friends, Trump said in a post to Truth Social this morning, that:
“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.”
Three quick points about Trump’s response:
First, this angry, partisan message is utterly inappropriate to the tragedy that has engulfed the Reiner family and the community of people who care about them.
Second, Trump has made it all about himself. It’s not the first time his malignant narcissism has put himself at the center of whatever is preoccupying the public at the moment, but this is one of the most extreme and disgusting examples I’ve seen.
Third, if anyone still harbors any doubt that Trump is losing it — that his mind is in the grip of dementia, also likely paranoia — this post should make it clear. No rational person would post this.
Enough said.
Robert Reich is a professor at Berkeley and was secretary of labor under Bill Clinton. You can find his writing at https://robertreich.substack.com/.