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By Mandy Taheri
Five Republican Minnesota state senators are set to introduce a bill tomorrow that would classify "Trump Derangement Syndrome" (TDS), which they define as an "acute onset of paranoia" regarding the presidencies of Donald Trump, as a mental illness, according to state documents.
Newsweek has reached out to the state Senate minority and majority leaders for comment via contact form on Sunday morning.
Why It Matters
Throughout his presidential campaigns, 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," as Cheung previously told Newsweek. The phrase has also been used by Republican politicians and talk show hosts, among others.
The bill seeking to classify TDS as a mental illness raises concerns about the politicization of mental health diagnoses, which could be used to misappropriate care, diminish other mental health concerns, and suppress dissent and political expression.
What To Know
On Monday, the bill is scheduled to be introduced and read before the Minnesota Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Text of the bill has been available online since Thursday.
The five co-sponsors, state Senators Glenn Gruenhagen, Justin Eichorn, Nathan Wesenberg, Steve Drazkowski, and Eric Lucero say that TDS should be added to the definition of mental illness and incorporated into the state's legal definition through amended statutes.
The Republican legislators write that 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 J. Trump's behavior."
Minnesota State Capitol
The Minnesota State Capitol is seen in St. Paul, Minnesota, before sunrise on December 3, 2024. AP Photo/Steve Karnowski
They further state that these symptoms can manifest as intense verbal hostility toward Trump and "overt acts of aggression and violence" towards supporters.
The co-sponsors say the term should be included in state statutes relating to mental illness.
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Democrats and others contend that TDS is not a legitimate condition and argue that no clinical data supports its existence. They say that instead, it is a political label used to dismiss criticism of the president. Some also point out that TDS could apply to die-hard Trump supporters who defend him uncritically, regardless of facts or consequences.
The Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) holds a narrow one-seat majority in the upper chamber. Meanwhile, the Minnesota House of Representatives is evenly divided, with both the DFL and Republicans controlling 67 seats each.
What People Are Saying
Ed Krassenstein, an anti-Trump influencer with 1 million followers on X, formerly Twitter, wrote Sunday: "Minnesota Senate Republicans just introduced a bill to classify "Trump Derangement Syndrome" as a mental illness. Should Minnesota Democrats should introduce a bill to classify "MAGA" as a cult? If you support the first bill but find the second one offensive, then congratulations—you're officially part of the problem."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X in February: "Trump Derangement Syndrome is causing Democrats & the media to oppose President Trump's commonsense efforts to cut billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse from our federal government. They can't stand that we finally have a President who actually delivers on his promises."
What Happens Next?
The bill is scheduled to be read at the DFL-led committee on Monday. Typically, bills in the state Senate will need to undergo committee review and then a vote to either reject the bill or move it to the Senate floor.
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