Rob Reiner appears in posthumous role in skit criticizing Donald Trump

In a surprise posthumous appearance, late actor and director Rob Reiner portrayed George Washington in the July 3 episode of Larry David's HBO sketch comedy 'Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness'. Reiner's cameo came in a sketch widely seen as a veiled dig at President Donald Trump, though the President was never mentioned by name. As per USA Today, the series is executive produced by former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. The episode also featured a cameo by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

In the sketch, Washington addresses a gathering of colonists and announces that he will not seek a third term, expressing hope that future presidents will follow his example. He also says Congress should pass a constitutional amendment limiting presidents to two terms. Larry David's character then asks what would happen if a "narcissistic prick" who refused to follow the Constitution were elected president.

Washington reassured the concerned citizen that the Supreme Court and Congress would not allow a President to violate the Constitution. "But what if the Supreme Court is a bunch of yes-men and Congress is a bunch of p*****s who care more about party than country?" the concerned citizen asked. Washington expressed that he could not fathom such individuals. "I would suggest that after every Presidential election, there be a peaceful transfer of power," he added.

The concerned citizen said that anyone who could not accept the results of an election was a "sociopath" and that such a person could even give rise to an "insurrection" instead of admitting defeat. "He could use the presidency to enrich himself and his family. He could send troops into American cities to terrorize and even kill American citizens, all to distract from the fact that he is friends with a pedophile," he added.

President Trump has been accused of all of the above flaws. He was alleged to be a key figure in the January 6 Capitol riots, and he has yet to acknowledge his loss in the 2020 Presidential election, which he continues to claim was rigged. The Trump family has also been accused by Democrats of using the Presidency to enrich itself. A New York Times report claims that the President pulled in at least $2.2 billion in his first year back in the Oval Office.

Coming back to the sketch, the citizen says that such a president could clamp down on the free press and silence those who criticise him. That is when Jimmy Kimmel appears. "Are you suggesting that the President would taketh the time to challenge anyone who dares make fun of him as if he were a big baby?" he asks. Notably, Kimmel had gotten in trouble with the Trump family for calling Melania Trump an "expectant widow" during a comedy sketch on his late-night show.

The clip has gone viral not only for its sharp political satire but also because it marks one of Rob Reiner's final on-screen appearances. The 'When Harry Met Sally' and 'This Is Spinal Tap' director was found dead alongside his wife at their Brentwood, Los Angeles, home in December 2025.