Even some of President Donald Trump’s strongest conservative defenders recoiled this week after his reaction to the killing of Hollywood figure Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, with author and commentator Ann Coulter emerging as one of the most vocal critics.
Less than a day after news broke of Reiner’s death, Trump took to Truth Social with a message that immediately sparked controversy. In the post, Trump referred to Reiner as “tortured and struggling” and suggested his death was connected to what the president derisively called “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Trump also used the moment to praise his own administration and what he described as a “Golden Age of America,” closing the post by saying, “May Rob and Michele rest in peace.”
The tone and timing of the message drew swift condemnation across the political spectrum, including from prominent voices on the right. Several Fox News personalities and conservative commentators criticized Trump for what they saw as an unnecessary and inappropriate response to a violent and deeply personal tragedy.
Coulter, the longtime conservative author of In Trump We Trust: E Pluribus Awesome!, weighed in Tuesday and made clear she found the president’s remarks unacceptable. She amplified criticism from Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, retweeting his post calling Trump’s comments “inappropriate and disrespectful.”
Coulter also quote-tweeted a post from former ESPN host Sage Steele, who wrote that Trump’s words were “so disrespectful” and “so unnecessary,” adding that they were “unfortunately, so typical.” Coulter agreed with Steele’s assessment, signaling that even among Trump’s ideological allies there is a line that many believe should not be crossed.
When one user attempted to defend Trump by pointing out that Reiner had previously criticized conservative radio icon Rush Limbaugh after Limbaugh’s death, Coulter rejected the comparison outright. She responded that Limbaugh “died peacefully of natural causes,” emphasizing that he “wasn’t stabbed to death,” underscoring the difference between political criticism and reacting to a violent killing.
Coulter went further, warning that some of the online reactions defending Trump’s comments echoed rhetoric she found troubling. She argued that “most of the replies” to Steele’s post were “indistinguishable from liberals justifying the hate after Charlie Kirk was murdered,” drawing a parallel between excusing harsh rhetoric and minimizing violence against political figures.
The episode highlighted growing discomfort among some conservatives with Trump’s instinct to lash out rhetorically, even in moments that traditionally call for restraint. While Trump has never hidden his contempt for Reiner, a vocal Hollywood critic, Coulter and others suggested that responding to a killing with political insults crossed a moral line.
For Coulter, who has long defended Trump against media attacks and political opponents, the criticism carried particular weight. Her reaction underscored that the backlash was not limited to Trump’s usual critics but included figures who have stood by him for years.
As the debate continues, the controversy has revealed an uncomfortable reality for Trump’s allies: while many remain loyal to his agenda, some are increasingly willing to call out behavior they believe damages both the movement and the broader conservative cause.