Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel used his Monday night broadcast on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to sharply condemn President Donald Trump for a post about the death of filmmaker Rob Reiner that many called deeply offensive and politically charged. Trump had attacked Reiner’s legacy in a social media statement after the beloved director and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found murdered in their Los Angeles home, sparking bipartisan outrage.
In somber but blistering remarks, Kimmel told his audience that Americans need “compassion and leadership,” which he said was absent in the president’s message. “We did not get that from our president, because he has none of it to give,” Kimmel said, decrying what he called “hateful and vile” rhetoric from the White House. He went on to read Trump’s post aloud, highlighting its dismissive tone toward Reiner’s life and his political engagement.
Trump’s statement, posted on his social media platform, suggested that Reiner’s outspoken criticism of him — which Trump labeled “Trump Derangement Syndrome” — somehow contributed to the director’s death. “He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump … perhaps like never before. May Rob and Michele rest in peace!” the post said.
Kimmel didn’t mince words. “When I first saw it, I thought it was fake,” he said, recounting how his wife showed him the president’s message. “Even for him, that seemed like too much. But nothing is ever too much for him.” Kimmel called the statement “nonsense” and argued it was emblematic of a broader breakdown in civil discourse from the nation’s leadership.
The late-night host then shifted to a recent Oval Office news briefing, where Trump was given another chance to walk back his comments. Instead, Trump reportedly doubled down, telling reporters he had never been a fan of Reiner and repeating his claim that Reiner’s criticism — including supposed accusations about Trump’s ties to Russia — had hurt the director’s career.
“That corroded brain is in charge of our lives,” Kimmel said of the president, going on to encourage viewers who supported Trump to reconsider their stance. He then pivoted to personal remembrance, saying that from his experiences with Reiner, the late filmmaker would want his admirers to continue calling out irresponsible rhetoric. “So we’re going to do that over and over again until the rest of us wake up,” Kimmel said
Kimmel was not the only late-night figure to address Reiner’s death and its aftermath. The Late Show host Stephen Colbert opened his own Monday night broadcast with a solemn acknowledgment of not just Reiner’s passing but other recent tragedies, including mass shootings. Colbert paused his usual format to honor the couple and the gravity of the moment before shifting into the show, saying that while comedy was essential, the current news was too heavy for the usual cold open.
The context for this controversy is as heartbreaking as it is shocking. On December 14, 2025, Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, 68, were found fatally stabbed in their Brentwood home. Police classified the deaths as a double homicide, and their son, 32-year-old Nick Reiner, was arrested later that day and held without bail on suspicion of murder, according to multiple reports.
The tragedy sent shock waves through Hollywood and beyond, drawing tributes from colleagues, friends, and public figures. Reiner was a towering creative force — first gaining fame as Michael “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family, then directing timeless films such as Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally… and A Few Good Men. His work spanned decades and genres, influencing generations of filmmakers.
Michele Singer Reiner, a photographer and producer, was deeply involved in both personal and professional collaborations with her husband, and the couple had been married since 1989. Together they raised three children, and their deaths have left fans and friends grappling with grief.
Details about the events leading up to the killings are still emerging. Multiple sources reported that Reiner and his son were involved in a heated argument at a holiday party hosted by Conan O’Brien the night before the tragedy, though law enforcement has not released a full timeline.
In response to the president’s remarks, a range of voices across the political spectrum — including some Republicans — criticized Trump’s post as inappropriate and callous. Figures such as California Governor Gavin Newsom and members of Congress called for language that honors the dead rather than politicizes their passing.
Actor James Woods, long a friend of Reiner’s despite political differences, was among those publicly mourning and defending his legacy. Woods described some of the online commentary following Reiner’s death as “infuriating and distasteful,” emphasizing Reiner’s generous spirit and longstanding impact on colleagues’ careers.
The response to Trump’s post highlights a broader national conversation about how leaders talk about opponents and how public discourse shapes the collective reckoning with loss and legacy. For many, Kimmel’s critique articulated a frustration that goes beyond one statement — a sense that respect and empathy are being eroded at the highest levels of public life.
As the investigation into the Reiners’ deaths continues and prosecutors prepare formal charges against their son, the cultural reaction — from late night to state capitals — reflects both the depth of loss and the contentious political environment that has accompanied it.
