President Donald Trump has ignited a firestorm of bipartisan criticism following controversial social media remarks about the recent death of Hollywood director Rob Reiner, while simultaneously filing a multi-billion dollar lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Bipartisan Condemnation for 'Disgusting' Reiner Comments
Celebrities and lawmakers from across the political spectrum have united in condemning the US President. The backlash came after Trump posted on social media on Monday, following the discovery of Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele, 68, dead at their Los Angeles home on Sunday.
In his post, Trump described the acclaimed director as "tortured and struggling" and claimed he died "due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind-crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME." The President then contrasted this with praise for his own administration's achievements.
The response was swift and severe. Actor Patrick Schwarzenegger labelled the statement "What a disgusting and vile statement" on social media platform X. Television host Whoopi Goldberg, a friend of Reiner, also offered strong condemnation.
$5 Billion Lawsuit Filed Against BBC Over Edited Speech
In a separate but concurrent legal move, Donald Trump has initiated a lawsuit against the British public service broadcaster, the BBC. The suit seeks at least $5 billion in damages and centres on the broadcaster's editing of a speech Trump made to supporters in Washington prior to the storming of the US Capitol on 6 January 2021.
Trump alluded to the action earlier on Monday, telling reporters in the Oval Office, "In a little while, you’ll be seeing I’m suing the BBC for putting words in my mouth. Literally, they put words in my mouth." The lawsuit specifically targets an edition of the BBC's Panorama news programme broadcast shortly before the 2024 US election.
Other Key US Political Stories from 15 December 2025
The day's news cycle included several other significant developments:
- ICE Lawsuit: A green card holder, Hilda Ramirez Sanan, and her two American citizen children have sued Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a "violent" and "unlawful" detention in Massachusetts that resulted in hospitalisation.
- FBI Criticism: FBI Director Kash Patel faces renewed criticism for prematurely touting his agency's work on social media regarding a person of interest in a shooting.
- Heritage Foundation Appointment: The influential right-wing think tank has appointed Scott Yenor, founder of a secretive Christian nationalist network, to a director role, sparking further outcry.
- DoJ 'Pressure': Attorneys within the Department of Justice reportedly felt political pressure to accuse the University of California of antisemitism, in what one called a "hit job" urged by the Trump administration.
- Newsom's Health Appointments: California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed two former CDC officials, including ex-director Dr Susan Monarez, to lead a new state public health network after their departures from the federal agency.
Further developments included Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar stating ICE agents stopped her son following a Trump-ordered operation, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressing doubt she would see a woman elected US President in her lifetime. In foreign affairs, European leaders indicated readiness to lead a multinational force in Ukraine as part of a proposed US peace plan.
