Paying Tribute to a Legend
Talk show host Seth Meyers sharply criticized President Donald Trump after a controversial Truth Social post following the deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner.
During a segment uploaded to the show’s YouTube channel, Meyers honored Reiner, the director of When Harry Met Sally, who tragically passed away alongside his wife on Sunday, December 14, at their Los Angeles home. While paying tribute, Meyers highlighted Trump’s statement, calling it both expected and horrifying.
Meyers described Reiner as a trailblazer in the film industry. His work on classics like This Is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride left a lasting legacy. He stressed that the Reiners’ deaths were a profound loss to the entertainment community and anyone with empathy.
Trump’s Controversial Statement
Trump posted on Truth Social:
“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… May Rob and Michele rest in peace!”
The statement sparked widespread condemnation from media figures, including talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and former U.S. attorney Joyce Vance, who called it insensitive and inappropriate.
Meyers Responds
Meyers reacted sharply. He said Trump had made the Reiners’ deaths “about himself.”
“Rob is no fan of the president, and because of that, the president was no fan of Rob’s. Everyone knew that. But the president still chose, just about 12 hours after Rob and Michele had been murdered in their own home, to post his thoughts on social media about this tragedy,” Meyers said.
He added that Trump’s claim—that the Reiners were allegedly murdered because of their feelings toward him—was entirely unfounded.
“I feared this was something he was going to do, and I was pretty certain it would cast a shadow on what was already a really dark day. But it was even worse than I could have imagined,” Meyers explained.
The Human Cost
Meyers emphasized the broader context. The deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner are a tragedy to anyone with compassion.
“This is a tragedy to anyone with an ounce of humanity. But you do need that one ounce,” he said.
He urged viewers to focus on the Reiners’ legacy of creativity, kindness, and activism, rather than controversial statements made in the aftermath of their deaths.
Meyers’ comments reflect a wider backlash against Trump. Many celebrities and public figures condemned his post as self-centered and inappropriate, particularly during a period of mourning for the Reiner family.
