A pair of Republican representatives is pushing Congress to address one of the most serious domestic issues of our time. What started out as a joke – a slur, of sorts – has become a very real public mental health crisis. Since late 2016, Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) has spread as swiftly as COVID-19 and could, for most of the infected, be more debilitating. And it’s no longer just a humorous dig at leftists – especially after two attempts on President Donald Trump’s life. Back in May, Reps. Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Barry Moore (R-AL) released statements on the introduction of the Trump Derangement Syndrome Research Act of 2025. This was not an epic prank. The congressmen want the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH) to study the disorder.
The late Charles Krauthammer, a political writer and pundit but a psychiatrist by training, coined the term “Bush derangement syndrome” in 2003. Leftists certainly displayed a visceral hatred of then-President George W. Bush, though it did not push them to adopt extreme and often irrational positions, as Trump Derangement Syndrome does.
Diagnosing Trump Derangement Syndrome
Anti-Trump journalist Fareed Zakaria once described TDS as “hatred of President Trump so intense that it impairs people’s judgment.” He wasn’t wrong. Personality disorders – what some clinical psychologists would collectively call sociopathy – affect the way the afflicted view themselves, their fellow human beings, and everyone’s place in the world. Emotions are governed by these disorders.
Certainly, those who suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome are struggling mightily with emotional distress and impulse control. This often manifests in the impaired judgment Zakaria mentioned.
One example is the comparison of President Trump to Adolf Hitler. Trump’s focus on shrinking the size and cost of government and creating conditions that enable ordinary Americans to be less reliant on government is about the least fascist thing a president could do. So, for leftists to equate Trump with Hitler, they must ignore entirely the core tenets of fascism and completely rewrite history.
Additionally, and far worse, to make the comparison, one must entirely abandon all sense of morality and human decency, because, in saying that Trump is like Hitler (“literally Hitler” has even been used), one is claiming that nothing for which Hitler was responsible was any worse than what Trump has done. So, the Holocaust, the multiple invasions of foreign countries resulting in a world war, the medical experiments, the mass murder of gays, the disabled, and pretty much anyone who spoke out against national socialism – none of those things were any more horrible than Trump’s policies. Hitler himself, were he alive and politically active today, would be as acceptable a leader as Trump. That’s a staggering disregard for one’s own conscience and humanity.
Victims of TDS usually appear ready to defend the indefensible, align themselves with the worst of humanity, and move their own ethical and moral goalposts at any time – all for the sake of opposing Trump’s position on every issue.
There are countless examples of journalists, television news anchors, and talk-show hosts directly contradicting their own previously stated opinions just so they can criticize the president.
Renowned psychologist Alex Pattakos, Ph.D., writing in Psychology Today – a couple of months before Trump won his second White House term – described Trump Derangement Syndrome as “a form of toxic criticism and negative reaction to former President Trump’s statements and political actions.” Pattakos went on to observe:
“Signs of TDS can be observed along a continuum of reactions, ranging from verbal expressions of intense hostility toward President Trump to overt acts of aggression and even violence against anyone supporting or anything symbolizing him.”
A TDS Bill in the Works
In a statement released May 15, Rep. Davidson said, “TDS has divided families, the country, and led to nationwide violence — including two assassination attempts on President Trump. The TDS Research Act would require the NIH to study this toxic state of mind, so we can understand the root cause and identify solutions.” That would require expenditure, of course, and Davidson has the answer: “Instead of funding ludicrous studies such as giving methamphetamine to cats or teaching monkeys to gamble for their drinking water, the NIH should use that funding to research issues that are relevant to the real world.”
The Trump Derangement Syndrome Research Act would:
Investigate TDS’ origins and contributing factors, including the media’s role in amplifying the spread of TDS.
Analyze its long-term impacts on individuals, communities, and public discourse.
Explore interventions to mitigate extreme behaviors, informing strategies for a healthier public square.
Provide data-driven insights into how media and polarization shape political violence and social unrest.
Require an annual report to Congress.
Rep. Moore described TDS as an “epidemic on the Left,” adding, “Some individuals who suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome have participated in nationwide political and social unrest, even trying to assassinate President Trump twice.”
It is worth noting that Davidson is not a die-hard Trump ally. He was a nay on Trump’s signature Big Beautiful Bill before he flipped to yea. He questioned the constitutionality of the attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, and he wants Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify before Congress on the Epstein files.
Will Capitol Hill take up the bill, effectively acknowledging that Trump Derangement Syndrome is a genuine mental health concern? It has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which essentially means it isn’t yet past step one. Perhaps a more interesting question would be, if the committee sets up a hearing to discuss Davidson’s bill, will a few Democrat House members be called to describe their own struggles with this affliction?
