Arizona state Sen. Janae Shamp announced legislation this week directing the Arizona Department of Health Services to study "Trump Derangement Syndrome, framing the issue as a public health concern.
The measure authorizes the department’s director to conduct research examining the psychological, social, and behavioral effects associated with the term TDS.
The bill requires an analysis of factors, including media exposure and political polarization, and directs the department to collaborate with mental health professionals to identify potential responses.
Trump used the phrase in mid-December in a post following the death of actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner, saying he succumbed to an "incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS."
Shamp’s office said the legislation treats TDS as a public health crisis affecting mental health, civil discourse, and political stability in Arizona.
The study would examine the origins and effects of TDS with the goal of developing strategies to promote well-being and reduce political division.
The announcement references President Donald Trump’s policy record and asserts that hostility toward Trump and his supporters has contributed to social division.
The release further claims that political animosity surrounding Trump led to two assassination attempts in 2024.
Shamp said the legislation is intended to address what she described as an extreme political fixation that harms mental health and public safety.
At the federal level, Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, introduced the Trump Derangement Syndrome Research Act of 2025, legislation that would direct the National Institutes of Health to study what the bill describes as extreme negative psychological and social reactions to Trump.
Rep. Barry Moore, R- Ala., joined Davidson as the bill’s original cosponsor.
The proposal would require the NIH to examine the roots and effects of what supporters label Trump Derangement Syndrome, with the stated goal of identifying causes and potential solutions.
"TDS has divided families, the country, and led to nationwide violence including two assassination attempts on President Trump," Davidson said.
"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," he said.
Davidson also criticized existing federal research spending, arguing that NIH resources should be redirected.
"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," Davidson said.
The bill was introduced in the U.S. House and has not advanced beyond referral at this stage.
The phrase "Derangement Syndrome" in a political context was coined by conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer in a December 2003 column, where he used "Bush Derangement Syndrome" to describe what he argued was an irrational, reflexive hostility toward President George W. Bush.
The term was later adapted by commentators and political figures during Donald Trump’s rise and presidency as "Trump Derangement Syndrome," applying the same concept to critics of Trump.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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