Top conservative rebukes of Trump for 'grotesque' Rob Reiner death post: 'Completely inappropriate'
Conservative pundits, journalists distance themselves: 'Insane and disgraceful'
Several conservative-leaning political commentators and journalists were reluctant to support him for what he said about Reiner.
Saagar Enjeti, who hosts the popular political podcast "Breaking Points," suggested Trump alienated the average person with his Reiner post and likely damaged his own reputation.
"Trump's Reiner comment broke through the normie firewall for reasons I don't fully understand but [it's] a signal that his [specter] of untouchability is beginning to fall apart," Enjeti said.
Other prominent political pundits distanced themselves from Trump's remarks, such as Joe Concha, who often defends Trump on Fox News, but tweeted simply: "Completely inappropriate."
Fox News commentator Lisa Kennedy Montgomery, also known simply as "Kennedy," called Trump's post "disgusting, unnecessary and inappropriate."
"Trump has personal reasons to be upset with Reiner but he can do better," said podcaster Tim Pool, who recalled that Reiner expressed "absolute horror" when the late Charlie Kirk was murdered in September. "This was not appropriate. Rob was very gracious when Charlie was murdered. We can return that grace."
"No one has worse TDS than Trump," said Bridget Phetasy, a comedian who voted for Trump in 2024.
"That Trump wrote this is insane and disgraceful. That the White House chose to tweet it out is pathological," said journalist Charles C.W. Cooke.
Journalist Christopher F. Rufo acknowledged that Trump's post was "awful," but said "this tic is baked into his personality and no amount of media outrage will change it, so most of the intellectuals on the Right will simply ignore it and focus on policy, which is a sensible course of action."
"This is the Dao of Trumpism," Rufo added.
Podcast host Gad Saad suggested it might have been best for Trump to simply remain quiet.
"I fully understand that Mr. Reiner was unhinged in his delusional hatred of POTUS but I think that it might have been best to simply say 'RIP' or nothing at all. And believe me, I'm all for the honey badger mindset," Saad said.
Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York posted screenshots to X of the overwhelmingly negative replies to Trump's post by right-leaning Truth Social users.
Truth Social comments on President Trump's Rob Reiner comments. pic.twitter.com/dxn70MN1S9
— Byron York (@ByronYork) December 15, 2025
