Republican lawmakers in Minnesota have introduced a bill that seeks to add TDS to the state’s definition of a psychiatric disorder
Republican lawmakers in Minnesota have introduced a bill seeking to amend state law to classify ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ (TDS) as a mental disorder. The proposal defines TDS as a condition affecting individuals who react irrationally to US President Donald Trump’s policies and presidency.
The term ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ has been widely used by Trump supporters and conservative commentators to describe strongly negative reactions to the Republican leader.
The Minnesota bill was introduced on Monday by five GOP lawmakers who proposed adding TDS to the state’s official list of mental disorders, defining it as “the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is in reaction to the policies and presidencies of President Donald J. Trump.”
The text of the bill claims that TDS can manifest in behaviors such as “verbal hostility or acts of aggression against those with differing political opinions.” The proposal further suggests that individuals with TDS struggle to differentiate between political disagreements and psychological conditions.
Senator Glenn Gruenhagen, one of the bill’s authors, defended the proposal, arguing that the “irrational behaviour” exhibited by some Trump critics indicates a “deeper psychological problem” and that the bill seeks to address this issue, “not mere political disagreements.”
“We should be able to have civil debates without demonstrating violent and unreasonable reactions such as burning down Tesla dealerships, threatening people who wear Trump hats or committing road rage at the sight of a Trump bumper sticker on a person’s car,” the senator wrote in a Facebook post.
At the same time, Gruenhagen has acknowledged that despite its introduction, the bill is unlikely to pass the Minnesota Senate where Democrats hold a narrow majority. “Of course, we all know that the Democrats and Governor Walz will never allow this bill to pass anyway, so take a deep breath and calm down,” he wrote, referring to the outrage stirred by the bill in the Minnesota Capitol.
Critics of the term TDS have argued that it is a rhetorical tool used to dismiss legitimate criticism of Trump’s policies and behavior. Some have also pointed out that the label could apply to Trump supporters who react aggressively to opposition against him.
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