31 May 2024 , 03:32
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Donald Trump, the former US president, has been convicted in his hush money trial in New York of tampering with business records to conceal payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
This marks an historic moment seeing him as the first former president to be a convicted criminal. As this groundbreaking news reverberates across America, critics of Trump are demonstrating symptoms of what's been labelled Trump Derangement Syndrome.
The phrase has been around since 2015 but its origins can be traced back to George Bushs term in office. Here's an overview that will help you better understand Trump Derangement Syndrome.
The term Trump Derangement Syndrome was coined in 2015 ((Image: Getty ))Wxactly what is Trump Derangement Syndrome?
It's often used disparagingly, Trump Derangement Syndrome points towards perceived over-the-top or senseless criticism of the former leader by his supporters. Those who argue the existence of this syndrome allege targets are more likely to hit out at Trump on a personal level, not focusing criticism on his policies or actions during his tenure, reports the Mirror US.
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Where does the term Trump Derangement Syndrome come from?
It's generally accepted that it first cropped up in 2015, even before Trump took the Oval Office. It gets its attribution to Esther George who coined the term in an op-ed piece for the American Spectator in August 2015.
The term was used to discredit "ruling class republicans" who disapproved of Trump or his aspirations for presidency. However, we must go back further when "Bush Derangement Syndrome" first popped up in 2003, being coined by psychologist Charles Krauthammer.
During the Bush era, Krauthammer characterised the condition 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."
Later, Krauthammer used Trump Derangement Syndrome to explain an individual's "inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences and ... signs of [any] psychic pathology [in his behavior.]".
What are the symptoms of Trump Derangement Syndrome?
In 2018, Trump himself referenced the syndrome following a US- Russia meeting in Helsinki. On his now-removed X account (previously Twitter ), he posted, "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! ".
Sarah Huckabee, former White House Press Secretary, also voiced her opinion on then-Twitter in 2018, stating, "Trump Derangement Syndrome is becoming a major epidemic among Democrats. Instead of freaking out about the booming Trump economy, why not celebrate it? " However, prominent Trump critics like Robert De Niro and Charlamagne Tha God proudly wear the term, viewing it as a badge of honour.
Eric Zorn, writing for the Chicago Tribune, argued that what is often labelled as "syndrome" by Trump's team might actually be more prevalent among his supporters rather than his critics. He stated: "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."
So, how can you spot someone with Trump Derangement Syndrome?
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In his piece for Fox News, Hugh Hewitt outlined a method to identify those affected, noting: "Listen for the venom-saturated commentary, the startling level of hatred they express. It just isn't normal, not even for brass-knuckled politicos. Trump breaks people. Most stay broken."
Hewitt also mentioned that Trump ranks among the few figures in modern American politics who have managed to consistently provoke extreme reactions. "The only figures from the modern era remotely close to Trump in the ability to trigger sustained rage among his or her political opponents are Richard Nixon and Hillary Clinton," he said.
Trump is set to receive his sentence on July 11, following a guilty verdict.