Poll shows 72% of Americans view Trump’s remarks on Rob Reiner’s death as ‘inappropriate’
We at @YouGovAmerica showed Americans Donald Trump's post about Rob Reiner, as well as posts about Reiner from Ted Cruz, Barack Obama, and Gavin Newsom, and asked what people thought: pic.twitter.com/vHFLmyE5J3
— David H. Montgomery (@dhmontgomery) December 19, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC: A recent poll shows that nearly two-thirds of Americans view President Donald Trump’s social media post about the deaths of actor-director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, as "inappropriate."
Released on Friday, December 19, the survey highlighted public disapproval of the president’s comments, contrasting sharply with reactions to statements from other political figures.
The YouGov poll was conducted from December 15 to 18 and included 1,107 respondents.
Poll shows broad backlash to Trump’s Rob Reiner post
YouGov explained its methodology in an online post, saying, “YouGov showed Americans Trump’s post, as well as social media posts about Reiner by several other politicians from both parties, and asked what they thought about it.”
The results revealed widespread disapproval of the remarks made by President Donald Trump. When shown a screenshot of the post, 72 percent of respondents said it was inappropriate, while only 17 percent considered it appropriate.
Among non-conservative Republicans, 66 percent deemed the comments inappropriate, compared with 19 percent who disagreed.
Conservative Republicans were more divided, with 45 percent describing Trump’s remarks as inappropriate and 43 percent viewing them as appropriate.
Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead at their Brentwood, Los Angeles, home on Sunday. Their son, Nick Reiner, was charged with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths.
Trump faces bipartisan backlash over Rob Reiner comments
Respondents generally favored condolence messages from other political figures.
Online statements from Sen Ted Cruz, former President Barack Obama, and California Gov Gavin Newsom were overwhelmingly viewed as appropriate, receiving approval ratings of 89 percent, 88 percent, and 84 percent, respectively.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social about Rob Reiner, calling him “a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star” and attributing his death to a condition he labeled “TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME” or TDS.
Trump added that Rob “was known to have driven people crazy” with his obsession with the president and that his “paranoia” reached “new heights” as the administration “surpassed all goals and expectations.”
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…
— Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) December 15, 2025
Rob had been a vocal critic of Trump. In 2024, he told The Guardian that Trump was a “criminal” who “basically lies every minute of his life.”
The president later doubled down on his remarks, telling reporters that Reiner “became a deranged person” who was “very bad for our country.” Lawmakers and commentators reacted strongly, with some comparing Trump’s statements to online mockery that followed the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September.
Rep Seth Moulton accused Trump of “celebrating their death because of their political views, the exact same behavior that Republicans complained about after Charlie Kirk’s killing.”
