President Donald Trump recently uttered one of his oft-used terms in a statement attacking iconic actor and director Rob Reiner, shortly after he and his wife, Michele Singer, were found dead in their home on Sunday.
The president took to his platform Truth Social on Monday to take the opportunity to criticize Rob Reiner, who has been a critic of Trump, and for baselessly attributing the death of the Hollywood filmmaker to “Trump Derangement Syndrome” – a phrase Trump and his supporters often use to attack those who criticize the president, his policies and his rhetoric.
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“Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling but once very talented film director and comedy star, has died, along with his wife, Michele, from the anger he caused others through his massive, unrelenting and incurable affliction with a crippling mental illness known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME,” Trump sometimes wrote on the social media platform T.
Trump’s vile post about Reiner drew widespread condemnation, with many on social media describing the remarks as “disgusting.” Rocker Jack White took to Instagram to slam the president, writing: “Trump, disgusting, vile, egotistical, loser, child. Neither he nor any of his followers can defend this terrible and horrible insult to a beautiful artist who has given so much to the world.”
The president also received a rare rebuke from many MAGA supporters and a number of the president’s most loyal advocates. He was further criticized when he doubled down on his attacks on Reiner while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office hours later.
The concept of so-called “derangement syndrome” has also been used against critics of previous presidents. But Trump has a history of frequently using the phrase against his own detractors. He had also used the phrase against those who opposed him during his first term as president.
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Alexandra Cromer, a licensed professional counselor at Thriveworks, believes that Trump’s habit of leveling the phrase “Trump Disorder Syndrome” reveals a lot about his leadership style.
“It reveals that he is not a leader who appreciates, welcomes or is open to feedback,” she told HuffPost. “This is also a pattern of behavior we see in people with narcissistic tendencies; the projection of perceived criticism onto someone else.”
President Donald Trump speaks to a reporter in the Oval Office of the White House on December 15 in Washington, DC Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
Trump’s use of “TDS” exposes an “unhealthy” way to take criticism, Cromer says.
Cromer explained that by Trump calling his critics “disturbed,” he’s essentially trying to undermine the “authenticity of the feedback.”
“This reveals that his leadership style is very rigid and very one-dimensional. He is the one who gives the instructions and everyone else has to comply,” she said. “This is an extremely unhealthy way to receive criticism or any other form of feedback. Psychologically, we know that feedback is essential not only for growth [and] prosperity, but general health and well-being.”
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She later continued, “shutting down criticism by engaging in stereotypes and blaming the source can also be viewed as abusive behavior, that is, behavior that seeks to cause psychological harm and maintain power structures.”
Hallie Kritsas, a mental health counselor and licensed therapist at Thriveworks who specializes in self-esteem, workplace issues and anxiety, told HuffPost that she thinks the term “Trump Disorder Syndrome” is “polarizing and emotionally energizing.”
“It’s a threat and will more than likely increase stress and divide the groups into two different ones, rather than uniting them,” she said.
Jacob Neiheisel, an associate professor of political science at the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, told HuffPost that he believes Trump’s frequent use of the phrase is “intended to dismiss his opposition” and plans to “cover his followers for rebutting similar criticism they might hear.”
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“I think his use of the term reflects his deep-seated disdain for dissent,” he said. “Trump’s leadership style is certainly not one that accepts a ‘team of rivals’ approach, but rather one that demands loyalty and a willingness to do political battle on his behalf.”
Neiheisel believes the phrase “Trump Derangement Syndrome” has appealed to so many Trump supporters because it “allows them to adopt a similar orientation toward dissent in their own social circles.”
“Simply dismissing the opposition as having some form of mental illness allows them to protect their own attitudes and beliefs, inoculating them against any negativity directed at Trump,” he added.
There’s a reason Trump’s attack on Reiner has drawn a rare rebuke from his loyal supporters, experts say.
Neiheisel believes Trump’s attack on Reiner after his death has reached “a new low.”
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“Republicans had the moral high ground following the killing of Charlie Kirk and were able to use the negative things said about Kirk after his death to attack Democrats,” he said. “With Trump’s response, that high level is gone. I think that’s why we’ve seen a number of Republicans condemn Trump’s remarks.”
Kritsas believes Trump’s statements about the iconic director “violated what some might consider a moment to grieve and have decency in a moment of loss.”
Cromer said Trump’s harsh words for Reiner were likely especially upsetting to so many people because the director was a “universally likable person.”
“While Rob was not a perfect person (because no one is), he demonstrated consistent patterns of prosocial behavior and centered his personal values at the forefront of his personal and professional life,” she said.
“Furthermore, Trump’s remarks support the belief that someone was killed because he didn’t like Trump; a claim that can be viewed as narcissistic, inserting itself into a situation that has nothing to do with him in any contextual way,” she continued.
Cromer later added that overall, Trump’s remarks about Reiner “share a lack of respect for the psychological and personal boundaries for those affected by this incident.”
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