what did reiner say about trump

Rob Reiner has been one of Donald Trump’s fiercest Hollywood critics and has repeatedly described Trump as dangerous for American democracy, dishonest, and unfit for office. His comments have resurfaced and drawn renewed attention in late 2025 after his death and Trump’s own harsh reaction to him.

Who Reiner Is

Rob Reiner was a prominent Hollywood director and actor, known for films like “When Harry Met Sally…” and “A Few Good Men,” as well as for his outspoken liberal political activism. In U.S. politics he became a highly visible critic of Trump, frequently appearing in interviews and on cable news to warn about what he saw as threats to democracy.

What Reiner Said About Trump

Reiner’s remarks about Trump over the years included very strong language.

Key points he made:

• He said Trump was “mentally unfit” to be president in interviews dating back to around 2017.

• He repeatedly called Trump a “criminal” and claimed he “basically lies every minute of his life.”

• He compared Trump’s continued political resurgence to a “zombie or a cockroach,” suggesting Trump kept coming back despite scandals and legal troubles.

Warnings About Autocracy

Reiner often framed Trump as a direct danger to American democracy and global democratic norms.

Some of his warnings:

• He said another Trump presidency could turn the United States from a democracy into an “autocracy,” with global consequences if U.S. democracy “crumbles.”

• In 2024–2025 interviews he warned the country was “sliding downhill in a very, very fast way” and said there was a risk of “full‑on autocracy” if Trump remained in power.

• He argued Trump had “declared war on this democracy,” accusing him of actions like disregarding due process for people being removed from the country and misusing congressionally appropriated funds, which he said violated the Constitution and separation of powers.

How This Turned Into a Flashpoint

After Reiner and his wife were killed in late 2025, Trump issued a statement and social‑media posts blaming Reiner’s death on “Trump derangement syndrome” and calling him “deranged” and “very bad for our country.” Those remarks triggered heavy backlash, including from some Republicans, which is why people are now revisiting what Reiner had said about Trump over the years.

Quick TL;DR

• Reiner called Trump “mentally unfit,” a “criminal,” and a constant liar.

• He compared Trump’s political resilience to a “zombie or a cockroach.”

• He warned repeatedly that another Trump term could mean “full‑on autocracy” and said the U.S. was “sliding downhill” democratically.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.