Arizona Republican leaders are pushing legislation to fund a formal study of “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” asking state health officials to investigate what they say is a politically driven pattern of behavior that has real social and psychological consequences.
Arizona state Senator Janae Shamp has filed Senate Bill 1070 to have the state commission research into what she and others call “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” The proposal argues the phenomenon is a legitimate subject for public-health study rather than just political rhetoric. Supporters say understanding it could help repair strained civic life and reduce public hostility.
Under SB 1070, the Arizona Department of Health Services would be directed to conduct or support research designed to “advance the understanding of Trump Derangement Syndrome, including its origins, manifestations and long-term effects on individuals, communities and public discourse.” The language makes clear the focus is both psychological and social, looking at how political obsession plays out in everyday relationships. Backers want data on causes and consequences, not just opinion pieces.
The text of the bill reads, the Arizona state “legislature finds that: The United States thrives on liberty, opportunity and civil discourse, yet extreme political polarization has fractured national unity, threatening the democratic values cherished by Arizonans.”
Despite these contributions to America’s prosperity, security and values, “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (TDS) has emerged since his 2016 campaign and has been proposed for study in the federal TDS Research Act of 2025.
Selective media reporting and amplification of unverified claims about President Trump’s conduct have fueled TDS, intensifying polarized public reactions and deepening societal division.
TDS has led to significant social harm, with Americans who support President Trump or his policies reporting discrimination, intimidation or ostracism in professional, academic and social settings, further eroding community cohesion.
TDS has contributed to psychological harm, with studies from the American Psychological Association documenting surges in political anxiety and bias during Trump’s tenure, undermining civil discourse in39 Arizona and beyond.
On Capitol Hill, Ohio Republican Warren Davidson has pushed a parallel idea at the federal level, urging the director of the National Institutes of Health to study the phenomenon nationwide. Davidson cited two assassination attempts on President Trump as part of the evidence that the mindset has escalated into real-world violence. His framing treats TDS as a public-safety and public-health issue that deserves empirical study.
“TDS has divided families, the country, and led to nationwide violence,” the Ohio Republican said in a statement. He argued his own measure would require the federal agency to “study this toxic state of mind, so we can understand the root causes and identify solutions.” That language stresses root causes and remedies rather than punishment or censorship.
Critics will say naming a politically charged condition after a living politician is partisan and risky, but proponents counter that real patterns of bias and anxiety show up in doctors’ offices, classrooms and workplaces. The push for formal research is designed to move the conversation from name-calling to measurable, peer-reviewed findings. Supporters argue study could help employers, schools and families navigate conflicts without escalating them into threats.
The proposal raises practical questions about methodology and funding, and about how researchers would define criteria for a syndrome that mixes political belief, media influence and emotional response. Still, elected Republicans promoting the bills paint this as a defense of free expression and social stability, not an effort to silence dissent. They say solid evidence could guide policy and mental-health resources in a targeted, nonpartisan way.
Editor’s Note: President Trump is leading America into the “Golden Age” as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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