Did Rob Reiner say he wished Trump shooter didn’t miss?

Checked on December 16, 2025
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Executive summary

Multiple news outlets report that President Trump posted a caustic message about Rob Reiner after Reiner and his wife were found dead, saying Reiner “was tortured and struggling” and suggesting the deaths were “reportedly due to the anger he caused…through…TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME” [1] [2]. None of the provided sources quote Trump saying he “wished the shooter didn’t miss”; they document Trump mocking Reiner and blaming his politics, and they show bipartisan backlash [2] [3].

1. What Trump actually posted and said

Reporting from The New York Times, Variety and Reuters shows Trump’s public messages characterized Reiner as having “Trump Derangement Syndrome” and blamed Reiner’s anti-Trump activism for provoking anger in others; Trump repeated the attack in remarks to reporters, calling Reiner “a deranged person” and saying he “was not a fan” [2] [1] [3]. The posts and remarks pointedly blamed Reiner’s politics for the killings rather than expressing sympathy [2] [1].

2. The missing quote: “wished the shooter didn’t miss”

None of the provided articles include a quotation or paraphrase of Trump saying he “wished the shooter didn’t miss” or anything equivalent (available sources do not mention that phrase). The reporting focuses on Trump’s Truth Social post and subsequent on‑the‑record comments describing Reiner as “deranged” and blaming his politics for the deaths [2] [1] [3].

3. How outlets and politicians reacted

Major outlets describe immediate bipartisan outrage: Republican and Democratic lawmakers, celebrities and journalists criticized Trump for politicizing a violent death and for what multiple outlets called a crude, crass response [4] [5] [6]. Reuters and The Washington Post highlight that even some on the right pushed back, stressing it was inappropriate to insinuate political causes without evidence [3] [7].

4. What authorities reported about the killings

Police arrested the Reiners’ 32‑year‑old son on suspicion of murder; authorities did not indicate a political motive in the early reporting, and outlets note there was “no indication from the authorities that the couple’s political beliefs had anything to do with their deaths” [2] [7] [8]. That factual record contrasts with Trump’s claim that the deaths were “due to the anger he caused” [2].

5. Disinformation risk and why precise sourcing matters

Multiple outlets document Trump’s inflammatory framing [1] [9]. But the specific allegation that he “wished the shooter didn’t miss” is not supported in the set of articles provided; repeating that formulation without sourcing risks spreading an attribution that the reporting does not confirm (available sources do not mention that phrase). Journalistic standards require quoting or clearly attributing incendiary claims to verified, on‑the‑record statements or a reliable transcript [2] [3].

6. Competing narratives in the coverage

Some right‑wing influencers initially urged restraint and expressed sympathy, arguing their side would not celebrate a murder; other conservative voices defended Trump’s critique of Reiner [5] [10]. Mainstream outlets emphasize bipartisan condemnation and underscore the contrast between Trump’s attack and calls for empathy from other leaders [5] [11].

7. What remains uncertain and what reporting does not say

The sources provided do not quote Trump saying he wanted a shooter to succeed or that he “wished the shooter didn’t miss,” nor do they indicate law enforcement has tied the killings to Reiner’s politics (available sources do not mention those items). The motive and full facts of the homicide investigation remain under development in the reporting cited [2] [7].

8. Takeaway for readers

Based on the reporting assembled, Trump publicly mocked and blamed Rob Reiner’s politics for the couple’s deaths and doubled down in remarks to reporters; that conduct drew widespread condemnation [2] [1] [3]. The particular claim you asked about — that Trump said he “wished the shooter didn’t miss” — is not found in the cited coverage and should not be treated as verified without a direct source confirming those words (available sources do not mention that phrase).

Want to dive deeper?
Did Rob Reiner publicly say he wished the Trump shooter hadn’t missed?
What exact words did Rob Reiner use about violence toward Trump and when were they said?
Did any verified video or transcript show Rob Reiner endorsing harm against Trump?
How did media and fact-checkers respond to claims about Rob Reiner and the Trump shooter comment?
Were there any legal or professional consequences for Rob Reiner over statements about political violence?