What Does 'TDS' Mean? Here's Why Memes About 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' Are Back On The Rise

While many people may believe that former President Donald Trump has been cultivating an increasingly fanatic base of supporters over the past decade, his own followers were the ones to popularize a catchphrase about "Trump Derangement Syndrome," also known by the slang acronym "TDS."

First published by Esther Goldberg in the conservative magazine The American Spectator, "Trump Derangement Syndrome" was a term used to describe the "derangement" establishment Republicans feel when they think of Donald Trump, leading them to ignore his actual policies and instead focus on his rhetoric.

Now, the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election shows Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris actually vowing to fulfill some of Trump's more criticized promises, like his goal to "build the wall" between the U.S. and Mexico, quips about centrists and liberals having "TDS" now seem like salient positions among conservative Americans.

Here's why you might be hearing more about "Trump Derangement Syndrome" lately, as well as how it originated and initially spread online.

What Does 'TDS' Mean, And Where Did The Acronym Come From?

Esther Goldberg of The American Spectator coined the term "Trump Derangement Syndrome" in an August 2015 article. The United States was in the midst of the Republican Presidential Primary when politicians like Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush were vying for the party's nomination.

Here's the point Esther Goldberg was trying to push home: Donald Trump's heightened rhetoric and chronic inability to cow-tow to established rules of politeness make him an ideal candidate to combat the "Left," and Republicans too traditional to understand the value of his showmanship actually suffer from "TDS," or Trump Derangement Syndrome.

This so-called "syndrome" leads them to disregard his actual policy positions and instead hyperfocus on his tendency to break social norms.

Of course, Goldberg didn't exactly come up with the idea herself. Back in 2003, psychiatrist Charles Krauthammer coined the neologism "Bush Derangement Syndrome" in a column describing the extreme emotional criticisms of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. Here's what he said:

Bush Derangement Syndrome: the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency--nay--the very existence of George W. Bush

In fact, "[Politician] Derangement Syndrome" has been a prominent format of political criticism ever since Krauthammer coined the term, often used to describe people's hatred of former President Barack Obama in the early 2010s.

How Did People React To The Idea Of 'Trump Derangement Syndrome'?

Trump Derangement Syndrome was not well received in mainstream liberal media circles come October 2015, but it took a while for conservative media to warm up to the idea as well.

Conservative New York Times columnist Bret Stephens noted that anyone critical of Trump, regardless of political affiliation, can acquire a "TDS" diagnosis. Meanwhile, veteran American journalist Fareed Zakaria described TDS as "hatred of President Trump so intense that it impairs people's judgment."

Memes about people having TDS were also popularized in the 2010s, often taking the form of ironic memes that show people getting really mad at Trump over ideas any other politician would get lauded for.

Did Discussions About 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' Ever Made A Comeback After 2015?

Accusing people of having "TDS" is still an oft-employed policy among Republicans, with The View host Whoopi Goldberg actually getting into a heated argument with conservative author and Fox News host Jeanine Pirro over the phrase in 2018.

On July 19th, 2018, Pirro accused Goldberg of having "Trump Derangement Syndrome" after she criticized her for saying, "It's horrible … when people who shouldn’t be here end up murdering the children of American citizens."

Meanwhile, media personalities still hold raging arguments over whether TDS is real or made up, as seen in segments hosted on MSNBC and Bill Maher in late October 2024, just weeks before the 2024 Presidential Election.

For the full history of Trump Derangement Syndrome, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.