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Trump derangement syndrome

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Trump derangement syndrome (TDS) is a pejorative term, used to describe negative reactions to President Donald Trump that are perceived to be irrational and to have little regard for Trump's actual policy positions.[1] The term has mainly been used by Trump supporters to discredit criticism of him, as a way of reframing the discussion by suggesting that his opponents are incapable of accurately perceiving the world.[2][3] Some journalists have used the term to call for restraint when judging Trump's statements and actions.[4][5][6] The term has also come to be used to describe the nature of Trump supporters in their unwavering support of the president.[7][8][9]

Despite the usage of the term syndrome suggesting a medical condition, TDS is not an official medical diagnosis.[10] A 2021 research study found no evidence to support the existence of TDS among Trump detractors on the left, but instead found bias among his supporters.[11] A bill seeking to classify TDS as a mental illness was introduced in the Minnesota Senate by Republicans in March 2025. However, it is not recognized as a mental illness in any U.S. state.

Origin of the term

The origin of the term is traced to Charles Krauthammer, a conservative political columnist, commentator, and psychiatrist, who coined the phrase Bush derangement syndrome in 2003 during the presidency of George W. Bush. That "syndrome" was defined by Krauthammer as "the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency—nay—the very existence of George W. Bush".[12][13][14][15] The first use of the term Trump derangement syndrome may have been by Esther Goldberg in an August 2015 op-ed in The American Spectator; she applied the term to "Ruling Class Republicans" who are dismissive or contemptuous of Trump.[16] Krauthammer, in an op-ed commented that—in addition to general hysteria about Trump—the "Trump Derangement Syndrome" was the "inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences and ... signs of psychic pathology".[15]

According to The Independent, "the highly-politicized term" was coined to dismiss criticism of Trump in his first term as liberal hysteria, suggesting that people abandon all logic and reason due to their dislike of the president.[17]

Definition

Fareed Zakaria defined the syndrome as "hatred of President Trump so intense that it impairs people's judgment".[4][18] CNN's editor-at-large Chris Cillizza called TDS "the preferred nomenclature of Trump defenders who view those who oppose him and his policies as nothing more than the blind hatred of those who preach tolerance and free speech".[1] Pointing to previous allegations of Bush derangement syndrome and Obama derangement syndrome, Cillizza suggested, "Viewed more broadly, the rise of presidential derangement syndromes is a function of increased polarization—not to mention our national self-sorting—at work in the country today."[1] Bret Stephens has described the term as something used by conservative groups whenever someone speaks out critically against Trump, regardless of political affiliation.[19]

CNN political analyst John Avlon uses the term in a more generalized sense inclusive of positive emotions as well as hatred towards Trump, so that for example, TDS accounts for denialism about Trump's defeat in the 2020 election, as a "political diagnosis" of people who "simply can't accept the fact that he lost the election".[20] This new definition derogatorily describing the nature of Trump supporters rather than his deriders has been picked up by others and widely used.[7][8][9]

Politico co-founder John Harris wrote that TDS is related to gaslighting, "another psychological concept in vogue in the Trump era".[21]

Usage

The term has been widely applied by pro-Trump writers to critics of Trump, accusing them of responding negatively to a wide range of Trump's statements and actions.[22][23][24]

The use of the term has been called part of a broader GOP strategy to discredit criticisms of Trump's actions, as a way of "reframing" the discussion by suggesting his political opponents are incapable of accurately perceiving the world. However, according to Kathleen Hall Jamieson of Annenberg Public Policy Center, the term could backfire on Trump supporters because people might interpret it to mean that Trump is the one who is "deranged", rather than those who criticize him.[2] Some Trump supporters have asserted that he plays a form of "multi-dimensional chess" on a mental level his critics cannot comprehend, which they say explains why critics are frustrated and confused by Trump's words and actions.[25][26][27][28] Fox News anchor Bret Baier and former House speaker Paul Ryan have characterized Trump as a "troll" who makes controversial statements to see his adversaries' "heads explode".[29][30]

The term has been used by journalists critical of Trump to call for restraint.[4][5][6] Fareed Zakaria, who urged Americans to vote against Trump calling him a "cancer on American democracy", argues that every Trump policy "cannot axiomatically be wrong, evil and dangerous".[4] Adam Gopnik, who takes a strong anti-Trump position, responded to these assertions that it is a "huge and even fatal mistake for liberals (and constitutional conservatives) to respond negatively to every Trump initiative, every Trump policy, and every Trump idea". Arguing that Trump's opponents must instead recognize that the real problem is "Deranged Trump Self-Delusion", Gopnik defined the "Syndrome" as President Trump's "daily spasm of narcissistic gratification and episodic vanity".[23]

According to Newsweek, Trump and his top communication advisers, including current White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and communications director Steven Cheung have repeatedly accused many critics of having a "severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome". The phrase has also been used by Republican politicians and talk show hosts. Newsweek was also accused of suffering from TDS by Cheung. Democrats and others have contended that it is not a legitimate condition, and no clinical data supports its existence and that instead, it is a label used to dismiss criticism of him. Some point out that TDS may also apply to die-hard Trump supporters who defend him unquestioningly without any regard of facts or consequences.[31]

Examples of use

Senator Rand Paul has cited the so-called syndrome several times. In a July 16, 2018, interview he said investigators should simply focus on election security and stop "accusing Trump of collusion with the Russians and all this craziness that's not true"—accusations which he said were entirely motivated by "Trump derangement syndrome".[32]

Trump used the term in a tweet following the 2018 Russia–United States summit in Helsinki: "Some people HATE the fact that I got along well with President Putin of Russia. They would rather go to war than see this. It's called Trump Derangement Syndrome!"[33][34] He also used it in a tweet about Alan Dershowitz's book The Case Against Impeaching Trump: ".@AlanDersh, a brilliant lawyer, who although a Liberal Democrat who probably didn't vote for me, has discussed the Witch Hunt with great clarity and in a very positive way. He has written a new and very important book called 'The Case Against Impeaching Trump', which I would encourage all people with Trump Derangement Syndrome to read!"[35]

In July 2018, Jeanine Pirro was a guest on The View to promote her newly published book. While she was responding to a question about how the "deep state" really works, she accused co-host Whoopi Goldberg of suffering from Trump derangement syndrome.[36] That same month, Eric Zorn wrote in the Chicago Tribune that the syndrome afflicts Trump's supporters more than his critics, as "what Team Trump is calling derangement is, in most cases, rational concern about his behavior and the direction he's taking the country.... The true Trump Derangement Syndrome loose on the land is the delusion suffered by those who still think he's going to make this country a better place for average people."[3]

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House Press Secretary under the Trump administration, made use of the term online.

In August 2018, Trump White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders used the term in a tweet: "Trump Derangement Syndrome is becoming a major epidemic among Democrats. Instead of freaking out about the booming Trump economy why not celebrate it?"[37]

In September 2018, Fox News personality and Trump supporter, Sean Hannity criticized The Washington Post as having Trump derangement syndrome for stating in an editorial that Trump, because of his attitude toward climate change, is "complicit" in hurricanes battering the United States;[38][39] Hannity said, "it is now a full-blown psychosis, it is a psychological level of unhingement I have never seen."[38]

In November 2018, Michael Goodwin, writing in the New York Post, discussed a variant of Trump derangement syndrome he called "Trump Imitation Syndrome".[40]

In March 2019, Bill Maher on Real Time with Bill Maher noted that while most statements by Trump were worthy of contempt, on occasions he had made perfectly sensible comments which were pilloried without justification. A case in point was Trump's criticism of the overengineering which led to the Boeing 737 MAX crashes and his preference for products to be simpler to use, which some commentators interpreted as evidence of conservative leanings.[41]

In August 2019, Anthony Scaramucci, Trump's former White House Communications Director, said in interviews with Vanity Fair and CNN that he had "Trump fatigue syndrome" instead of Trump derangement syndrome.[42][43]

In September 2019, Sean Hannity characterized as "Trump derangement syndrome" the continuing press coverage of Trump's days-long insistence that he was correct to state on September 1 that Hurricane Dorian posed a danger to Alabama, asserting "pretty much every newsroom in America screwed this up and lied to you", adding there were "a lot of psychotic jackasses in the media mob".[44]

The term resurfaced in 2024 concerning reactions to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and eventual defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris. In October 2024, Bill Maher, expressing his concerns regarding a second Trump term stated, "It's not deranged to fear this! It's not deranged to find this alarming!"[45] A House Democrat stated following the election that the Democratic Party needed to "get past this idea they call 'Trump Derangement Syndrome'".[46]

In October 2024, Trump dismissed his former chief of staff John F. Kelly as having TDS after he branded the president a fascist and made damaging claims about his views of Adolf Hitler.[17]

In February 2025, Elon Musk revived the term and told Fox News host Sean Hannity he used to be "adored by the left" until they were infected with TDS. He added that when he mentioned the president's name at a dinner party before his return to the White House, "it was like they got shot with a dart in the jugular that contained like methamphetamine and rabies".[17]

Proposed Minnesota law

A group of Minnesota Senate Republicans which included Justin Eichorn introduced a bill[47] in March 2025 that seeks to classify "Trump Derangement Syndrome" as a mental illness and incorporate it into the state's legal definition through amended statutes.[31] The bill has proposed that the "syndrome" as the "acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is in reaction to the policies and presidencies of President Donald J. Trump" which should be recognized in legal and medical contexts.[48][17] The bill also states that the symptoms may include "Trump-induced general hysteria, which produces an inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences and signs of psychic pathology in President Donald Trump's behaviour" which can manifest as "intense verbal hostility toward Trump" and "overt acts of aggression and violence" towards Trump and MAGA supporters.[31][17] The Minnesota bill uses the same wording that Krauthammer used to describe Bush derangement syndrome.[17]

Trump derangement syndrome is not recognized as a legitimate mental disorder by any version or draft of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association, or by law in any U.S. state.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Cillizza, Chris (July 19, 2018). Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Flaherty, Anne (July 18, 2018). Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Zorn, Eric (July 31, 2018). Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d Zakaria, Fareed (April 13, 2017). Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Boot, Max (May 11, 2018). Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Page, Clarence (February 2, 2018). Archived from the original on April 3, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  7. ^ a b Harris, John (October 15, 2020). Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Yee, Lawrence (September 20, 2019). Archived from the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Examples include:
    • Mills, Thomas (October 14, 2019). Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
    • John, Pavlovitz (June 17, 2019). Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
    • Barro, Josh; White, Ken (October 6, 2021). Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
    • Mandaville, Lynn; Young, David (2019). Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
    • Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  10. ^ Flaherty, Anne (January 4, 2019). Archived from the original on August 16, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  11. ^ Franks, Andrew S.; Hesami, Farhang (September 18, 2021). 10.3390/soc11030113. Trump supporters consistently showed bias in favor of the interests and ostensible positions of Trump, whereas Trump's detractors did not show an opposing bias ... Results of the current study do not support the broad existence of so-called "Trump Derangement Syndrome" on the left, but they may lend credence to accusations that some Trump supporters have a cult-like loyalty to the 45th president.
  12. ^ Davis, Michael (March 26, 2016). Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  13. ^ Cost, Jay (December 4, 2017). Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  14. ^ Krauthammer, Charles (December 5, 2003). Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  15. ^ a b Krauthammer, Charles (June 9, 2017). Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved May 22, 2018. What distinguishes Trump Derangement Syndrome is not just general hysteria about the subject, but additionally the inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences on the one hand and signs of psychic pathology on the other.
  16. ^ Goldberg, Esther (August 17, 2015). Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Republicans want to classify 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' as a mental illness". The Independent. March 17, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  18. ^ Zakaria, Fareed (April 16, 2017). Archived from the original on November 5, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  19. ^ Stephens, Bret (February 26, 2017). Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  20. ^ Avlon, John (December 16, 2020). Archived from the original on June 16, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  21. ^ John F. Harris (October 15, 2020). Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  22. ^ Tobin, Jonathan (May 4, 2018). Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  23. ^ a b Gopnik, Adam (April 21, 2017). Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  24. ^ Examples include:
    • Thiessen, Marc (May 15, 2018). Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
    • Klein, Joe (February 25, 2016). Archived from the original on February 22, 2024. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
    • Thiessen, Marc (May 10, 2018). Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
    • Barone, Michael (May 7, 2018). Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
    • Hewitt, Hugh (April 23, 2018). Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
    • Bruenig, Elizabeth (May 2, 2018). Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
    • Goldberg, Bernie (February 4, 2017). Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
    • Carr, Howie (January 4, 2017). Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
    • Prabhu, Saritha (January 29, 2018). Archived from the original on August 16, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
    • Meyers, Lawrence (August 14, 2016). Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
    • Reynolds, Glenn (January 5, 2017). Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
    • Williams, Walter E. (November 2017). Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
    • Devega, Chauncey (January 8, 2017). Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
    • Gollom, Mark (November 19, 2016). Archived from the original on April 3, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
    • Pruden, Wesley (October 23, 2017). Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
    • Rove, Karl (May 23, 2018). Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  25. ^ Roeder, Oliver (May 7, 2018). Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  26. ^ Herrman, John (May 31, 2017). Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  27. ^ Levy, Phil (July 30, 2018). Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  28. ^ Cillizza, Chris (October 8, 2017). Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  29. ^ Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  30. ^ Leibovich, Mark (August 7, 2018). Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  31. ^ a b c Member, French Writers Page Mandy Taheri Weekend Reporter Newsweek Is A. Trust Project (March 16, 2025). "Republicans push to make "Trump Derangement Syndrome" a mental illness". Newsweek. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  32. ^ Watkins, Eli (July 16, 2018). Archived from the original on August 20, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  33. ^ Smith, David (July 18, 2018). Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  34. ^ Donald J. Trump [@realDonaldTrump] (July 18, 2018). the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2018 – via Twitter.
  35. ^ Donald J. Trump [@realDonaldTrump] (July 26, 2018). the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Twitter.
  36. ^ Flynn, Meagan (July 20, 2018). Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  37. ^ Sarah Huckabee Sanders [@PressSec45] (August 1, 2018). "Trump Derangement Syndrome is becoming a major epidemic among Democrats. Instead of freaking out about the booming Trump economy why not celebrate it?" (Tweet). Retrieved February 13, 2021 – via Twitter.
  38. ^ a b the original on September 13, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  39. ^ Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  40. ^ Goodwin, Michael (November 21, 2018). Archived from the original on November 28, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  41. ^ Maher, Bill [@billmaher] (March 22, 2019). "Trump Derangement Syndrome isn't a real thing, so, on the rare occasion when Trump says something not stupid, don't act like you have Trump Derangement Syndrome" (Tweet). Retrieved February 23, 2024 – via Twitter.
  42. ^ Cohan, William D. (August 16, 2009). Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2019. I don't have Trump derangement syndrome, but what I do have is Trump fatigue syndrome. It's a very different thing, okay? And I submit to you that the nation, my party members, all have Trump fatigue syndrome, okay?
  43. ^ Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2019. I'm not going to be a prop for people on the left. I'm my own person. I'm not a guy that has Trump derangement syndrome. But I think like most Americans, I have Trump fatigue syndrome.
  44. ^ Haring, Bruce (September 5, 2019). "Fox News Host Sean Hannity: President Trump Was Right On Hurricane Dorian Alabama Path". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 25, 2024. But if you watch the media mob, you would think the president was lying, as they always do. Just another absurd example of Trump derangement syndrome. Take a look.
  45. ^ Margaritoff, Marco (October 19, 2024). "'It's Not Deranged To Fear This': Bill Maher Calls 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' Bunk". HuffPost. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  46. ^ Solender, Andrew (November 6, 2024). "Democrats start clawing each other's eyes out". Axios. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  47. ^ "SF 2589 as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)". www.revisor.mn.gov. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  48. ^ Rathore, Bhavika. "Controversial Minnesota bill seeks to classify 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' as a mental illness". Hindustan Times.
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