Donald Trump condemned for ‘disgusting’ and ‘depraved’ statement after deaths of Rob Reiner and wife Michele – live updates | US politics
Trump condemned for ‘disgusting’ and ‘depraved’ statements after deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele
In an amazing article on Truth Social this morning, Donald Trump suggested that the Hollywood director Rob Reiner78, who was found dead at his home alongside his wife Michele, 68, in what is being investigated as an “apparent homicide”, was killed because he had angered people with his “Trump derangement syndrome”.
Reiner has spoken about Trump many times over the years. He said in a 2017 interview with Variety that he believed Trump was “mentally unfit” to be president and called him “the least qualified human being to ever assume the presidency of the United States.”
He also told the Guardian last year that Trump’s re-election could lead to America becoming an autocracy. “We see autocracy making its way across the world,” he said. “And so if we [the US] collapse, there is a risk that democracy will collapse around the world.”
The president’s Truth message has been the subject of intense criticism online, from many commentators. calling him “disgusting” and “depraved”. Others also have compared Trump’s words with his administration’s calls for compassion after the killing of Charlie Kirk (and its crackdown on anyone it considered “celebrating” or “making light of it”).
This clip went viral, in which Reiner poignantly explained that he felt “absolute horror” when Kirk was murdered in September. “This should never have happened to anyone“, Reiner told Piers Morgan. “No matter your political beliefs – this is not acceptable, this is not a solution.” He added that he found the forgiveness granted by Kirk’s widow to her husband’s murderer “beautiful” and “admirable.” This would be one of Reiner’s last television interviews.
A quote from Kirk himself in 2016 also resurfaces today: “You can learn a lot about a person by how they react when someone dies.»
Key events
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also paid tribute in an article on
Horrible news today from California of the tragic deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele. Not only was Rob an incredibly talented actor and director, but he was also a fierce defender of democracy and the values that many of us share. We will miss him very much. My prayers this morning go out to the Reiner family and all those who loved his films and what he and Michele stood forr.
Contrary to the president’s comments, the Republican senator Ted Cruz expressed that he was “deeply saddened by the horrific murder of Rob Reiner and his wife.” In an article on X, Cruz continued:
He was one of the most talented filmmakers of all time. From Spinal Tap to When Harry Met Sally, from A Few Good Men to my favorite movie of all time, The Princess Bride. We mourn the loss of a master comedian and storyteller. His films have deeply touched us and spoke to our fundamental humanity. Rob Reiner was one of a kind and will be missed.
The tragic circumstances of his assassination make the situation even more horrific.. Heidi and I are pray for his family. Rest in peace.
Trump condemned for ‘disgusting’ and ‘depraved’ statements after deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele
In an amazing article on Truth Social this morning, Donald Trump suggested that the Hollywood director Rob Reiner78, who was found dead at his home alongside his wife Michele, 68, in what is being investigated as an “apparent homicide”, was killed because he had angered people with his “Trump derangement syndrome”.
Reiner has spoken about Trump many times over the years. He said in a 2017 interview with Variety that he believed Trump was “mentally unfit” to be president and called him “the least qualified human being to ever assume the presidency of the United States.”
He also told the Guardian last year that Trump’s re-election could lead to America becoming an autocracy. “We see autocracy making its way across the world,” he said. “And so if we [the US] collapse, there is a risk that democracy will collapse around the world.”
The president’s Truth message has been the subject of intense criticism online, from many commentators. calling him “disgusting” and “depraved”. Others also have compared Trump’s words with his administration’s calls for compassion after the killing of Charlie Kirk (and its crackdown on anyone it considered “celebrating” or “making light of it”).
This clip went viral, in which Reiner poignantly explained that he felt “absolute horror” when Kirk was murdered in September. “This should never have happened to anyone“, Reiner told Piers Morgan. “No matter your political beliefs – this is not acceptable, this is not a solution.” He added that he found the forgiveness granted by Kirk’s widow to her husband’s murderer “beautiful” and “admirable.” This would be one of Reiner’s last television interviews.
A quote from Kirk himself in 2016 also resurfaces today: “You can learn a lot about a person by how they react when someone dies.»
Ukraine the main negotiator said that negotiations with the United States were constructive and productivemy colleague Frances Mao reports.
Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, said in an article on X that “real progress” had been made in hopes of a lasting peace deal. He said the Americans, led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, were “working extremely constructively to help Ukraine find a path to a lasting peace agreement.”
Meanwhile, Reuters reports that American peace negotiators insisted during yesterday’s discussions in Berlin, the Ukrainian side should agree to withdraw its troops from the Donetsk regionasserting that the territory issue was a central issue for Russia, an official familiar with the matter said.
Citing an official with direct knowledge of the talks, the news agency reports that the territorial question remains unresolved today and that the Ukrainian delegation responded yesterday that further discussion was needed.
The AFP is hearing similar reports, reporting that US negotiators still want Ukraine to cede control of eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions as a condition of peace talks with Russia.
Kyiv opposes Washington’s demands that it withdraws troops from the two regions collectively known as Donbasswhich Russia has failed to capture since its invasion in February 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants territory,” an official briefed on the discussions said. declared to AFP, adding the United States demanded that Ukraine “withdraw” from the regions and kyiv refused.
“It’s a bit striking that the Americans are taking the Russian position on this issue.” added the official.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will host other world leaders, including Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, in a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday.
The two countries are working alongside Ukraine in peace talks. European leaders have already criticized US proposals to end the war, calling them too favorable to Russia.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, visited Berlin as part of those talks, including a lengthy meeting with Zelensky on Sunday.
Witkoff and Kushner were invited to dinner with European leaders.
In the WCCO interview, Rep. Ilhan Omar said her office received a flood of calls in the weeks after Trump began targeting her by name and calling her and other Somalis “trash.”
Most of those calls, she said, are from people providing support and saying they disagree with the president.
“They also tell us to keep fighting because it sets an example of standing up to bullies,” Omar said.
She brought up the massive fraud cases in Minnesota, which is part of the reason Trump said he’s going after the Somalis. Many of those convicted of defrauding government programs, including a program designed to provide meals to children, are of Somali descent. Omar said the entire community should not be blamed for crimes committed by individuals and that she and other Minnesotans have also been “deeply hurt” by the fraud. As for whether money sent by Somalis to the United States could fund Al-Shabaab, the terrorist group — a claim made by right-wing media in recent weeks — she said she supports the government’s investigation.
Ilhan Omar says ICE agents arrested his son
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of American politics.
Ilhan Omar, a Somali-born Minnesota congresswoman, said her son was arrested Saturday by ICE agents and asked to provide proof of citizenship.
“Yesterday, after stopping at Target, he was stopped by ICE agents, and once he was able to show his passport, they let him go,” she told WCCO’s Esme Murphy.
Omar fled the civil war as a child, came to the United States as a refugee, and became a U.S. citizen in 2000.
She became one of the first people of Muslim faith to be elected to the United States Congress after winning Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District in the 2018 midterm elections.
Omar told WCCO it was “disturbing” and “scary” that the president was “obsessed with you” – but said it was a diversion tactic to distract from his policy failures.
