When phrase got here of Rob Reiner’s mindless demise, America fell into acquainted rites of mourning and remembrance. A waterfall of tributes poured in from the dual worlds — Hollywood and politics — that the actor, director and liberal activist inhabited.
By means of the shock and haze, earlier than all however the sketchiest particulars had been identified, President Trump weighed in as effectively, driving by his diarrhetic compulsion to muse on nearly each passing occasion, as if he was elected to not govern however to function America’s commentator in chief.
Trump’s response, pretty shimmying on Reiner’s grave as he wrongly attributed his demise to an act of political vengeance, managed to plumb new depths of heartlessness and cruelty; greater than a decade into his acrid emergence as a political drive, the president nonetheless manages to stoop to shock.
However as vile and tasteless as Trump’s self-pitying assertion was — Reiner, he averred, was a sufferer of “Trump Derangement Syndrome” and, basically, obtained what he deserved — it additionally identified a singular truism of his vengeful residency within the Oval Workplace.
In latest many years, the nation has had a president who lied and deceived to cowl up his private vices. One other who plunged the nation right into a expensive and useless conflict. A 3rd whose willfulness and self-importance led him to overstay his time, hurting his occasion and America as effectively.
Nonetheless, every acted as if he was a president of all of the individuals, not simply those that voted him into workplace, contributed lavishly to his marketing campaign or blindly cheered his each transfer, nevertheless reckless or ill-considered.
As Trump has repeatedly made clear, he sees the world in black-and-white, red-versus-blue, us-versus-them.
There are the states he carried that deserve federal funding. The voters whose assist entitles them to meals help and different advantages. The sycophants bestowed with medals and presidential commendations.
After which there are his critics and political opponents — these he proudly and admittedly hates — whose struggling and even demise he overtly savors.
When Charlie Kirk was killed, Trump ordered flags be flown at half-staff. He flew to Arizona to headline his memorial service. His vp, JD Vance, instructed individuals needs to be fired for exhibiting any disrespect towards the late conservative provocateur.
By noteworthy distinction, when a gunman killed Minnesota’s Democratic former Home speaker, Melissa Hortman, Trump couldn’t be bothered with even a easy act of grace. Requested if he’d referred to as to supply his condolences to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a private good friend of Hortman, Trump responded, “Why waste time?”
This isn’t regular, a lot much less humane.
This isn’t politics as normal, or somebody rewarding allies and in search of to drawback the political opposition, as all presidents have performed. That is the nation’s chief government utilizing the immense powers of his workplace and the world’s largest, most resonant megaphone to ship retribution, break individuals’s lives, inflict distress — and revel within the ache.
There have been the same old denunciations of Trump’s callous and contemptuous response to Reiner’s stabbing demise.
“I’d anticipate to listen to one thing like this from a drunk man at a bar, not the president of the USA,” mentioned Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who’s retiring slightly than in search of reelection in 2026. (Which can be why he was so candid and spoke so bracingly.)
However this time, the criticisms didn’t simply come from the standard anti-Trump refrain, or heterodox Republicans like Bacon and MAGA-stalwart-turned-taunter Marjorie Taylor Greene. Even among the president’s longest and loudest advocates felt compelled to talk out.
“This can be a dreadful factor to say a few man who simply obtained murdered by his troubled son,” British broadcaster Piers Morgan posted on X. “Delete it, Mr. President.”
Extra telling, although, was the response from the Republican Occasion’s management.
“I don’t have far more to say about it, aside from it’s a tragedy, and my sympathies and prayers exit to the Reiner household and to their buddies,” Senate Majority Chief John Thune instructed CNN when requested about Trump’s response. Home Speaker Mike Johnson responded in a equally nonresponsive vein.
Clearly, the see-and-hear-no-evil impulse stays robust within the higher echelons of the GOP — no less than till extra election returns present the worth Republicans are paying as Trump retains placing private vendettas forward of voters’ private funds.
One of many enduring causes supporters say they again the president is Trump’s supposed honesty. (By no means thoughts the numerous voluminously documented lies he has instructed on a near-constant foundation.)
Honesty, on this sense, means saying issues {that a} extra temperate and cautious politician would by no means utter, and it’s an odd factor to condone within the nation’s foremost chief. These with even a modicum of caring and compassion, who would by no means inform a good friend they’re ugly or name a neighbor silly — and who anticipate the identical respect and decency in return — routinely ignore or clarify away such informal cruelty when it comes from this president.
Those that insist Trump can do no improper, who defend his each foul utterance or interact in but-what-about relativism to reduce the import, needn’t stay in his fixed thrall.
When Trump steps so egregiously over a line, when his malice is so extravagant and spitefulness so manifest — because it was when he mocked Reiner in demise — then, even essentially the most fervent of the president’s backers ought to name him out.
Do it, and reclaim slightly piece of your humanity.
