Trump withdrew endorsement of MTG; Unfortunately TDS is real, 75% Psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert

Moments before withdrawing his endorsement of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), President Trump fired back at her criticism that he spends too much time overseas. Trump: “If I didn’t go overseas, we might be in a war right now with China” — referencing how rare earth mineral negotiations with China through his Asia trip prevented a global manufacturing crisis. Trump said Greene had “lost a wonderful conservative reputation” and something had “changed politically” with her. Trump noted he had already received calls from Republicans wanting to challenge her in her Georgia district primary. Trump also lamented what’s happening in Europe with immigration and “bad taxing policies” — saying “Europe is not the same place” as the one his German father and Scottish mother came from. Psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert, in a striking interview, described Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) as “the defining pathology of our time” — 75% of his patients present with symptoms including inability to sleep, trauma, restlessness, and obsessive focus on Trump. Within 5 minutes of sessions, their “hatred for Trump comes up.” Alpert invoked Reagan’s 1981 shooting when unity was the norm, contrasting with today’s hyper-fixation. Trump on MTG: “If I didn’t go overseas, we might be in a war right now with China … She’s lost a wonderful, conservative reputation.” Alpert on TDS: “People are obsessed with Trump. They’re fixated. They’re hyper fixated on Trump … to be that fixated on a figure, on a person. It’s simply not healthy.”

MTG Endorsement Withdrawal

Trump opened by addressing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s recent criticism. “Hard to retell a green is not anyway.”

Whisper garbled “Marjorie Taylor Greene is not anyway” or similar. Trump was clearly addressing her situation.

“I mean, she is a very different thing here than I have. Something happened to her over the last period of a month or two, where she changed, I think, politically.”

Trump’s framework: Greene had changed. Something “happened” to her “politically” over “the last period of a month or two.” Trump no longer viewed her the same way.

“I think that her constituents aren’t going to be happy. Already, I have people calling me. They want to challenge her to a race in her district in Georgia.”

Trump’s warning: Greene’s constituents will be unhappy with her political shift. Republicans were already calling Trump asking to challenge her in her Georgia primary.

“And, you know, that’s too bad. She’s lost a wonderful, conservative reputation.”

Trump’s regret: Greene had lost her conservative reputation. This is the setup for the endorsement withdrawal (reported later).

China War Warning

“But when she says, don’t go overseas, if I didn’t go overseas, we might be in a war right now with China.”

Greene had criticized Trump for spending time on overseas trips. Trump’s counter: his overseas trips specifically prevented war with China.

The rare earth mineral crisis of October 2025:

China announced export controls on rare earth minerals
U.S. manufacturing faced shutdown risk without rare earths
Trump’s threat of 100% tariffs + October 8 action
Kuala Lumpur negotiations, then Korea Xi meeting
Resolution avoided direct U.S.-China military tension

Trump’s framework: without his personal diplomatic engagement, the rare earth crisis could have escalated to broader confrontation. MTG wanting him “not to go overseas” would have left China crisis unaddressed.

Europe Lament

“I’m so sad to see what happened in Europe with the immigration. I think above all else, the immigration, but the bad taxing policies. When you look at, you know, Europe is not the same place. I can’t say every place, but pretty much almost every place. There are a couple of places. And I won’t even get into that because those are the people, the leaders that aren’t liked by the other European leaders.”

Trump’s European critique:

Immigration destroyed Europe’s character
Bad taxation policies compound damage
Europe “not the same place”
Exception: “a couple of places” (likely Hungary, Italy, Netherlands where right-leaning governments exist)
These exceptional leaders aren’t liked by EU mainstream

“But what’s happened is so sad to Europe. And I think probably you have the same problem that we do with the fake news. You know, if you don’t get the news out and properly, it’s never going to change.”

Trump’s media framework applies globally. Fake news in Europe prevents political correction similar to U.S.

Family Heritage

“But Europe, I love Europe. I’m originally from, you know, between Scotland and Germany. Yeah. The German father and Scottish mother.”

Trump’s European heritage:

Father Fred Trump (German descent, though born in NYC)
Mother Mary Anne MacLeod (born in Scotland, Isle of Lewis)

“And the great mother, by the way, I have to tell you, great father, great mother. So I have a little prejudice toward Europe and those two places.”

Trump’s personal affinity for Europe — particularly Scotland and Germany. This affection colors his disappointment with European decline.

“But it’s so sad to see what they’re doing.”

Jonathan Alpert on TDS

The transcript shifted to psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert’s interview. Alpert — a prominent NYC therapist — was discussing what he calls Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS).

“People are obsessed with Trump. They’re fixated. They’re hyper fixated on Trump. They talk about some of the features of this disorder.”

Alpert’s framework: TDS is a genuine psychological phenomenon he observes clinically.

“They can’t sleep.”

Sleep disruption due to political anxiety.

“They feel traumatized by Mr. Trump.”

Reports of “trauma” from Trump exposure — media coverage, social media, political events.

“They feel restless.”

Chronic agitation tied to political awareness.

Specific Patient

“I had one patient who said she couldn’t enjoy a vacation because anytime she saw Trump in the news or on her device, she felt triggered.”

Vacation disruption. The patient couldn’t escape Trump-related “triggers” even when geographically distant from political news. Alpert’s framework: this is clinically significant.

“So this is a profound pathology. And I would even go so far as to call it the defining pathology of our time.”

“Defining pathology of our time” is strong language. Alpert characterized TDS as the dominant mental health issue among his patients.

The Trigger

“These people come to you for the things that you described. Can’t sleep, traumatized, perhaps depression. I don’t want to put words in your mouth. But at first, you are there to treat an illness, a disorder of some kind. And what you figure out is the trigger. Well, and Trump is the trigger for many of these people.”

Alpert’s clinical process:

Patients present with common symptoms (sleep, anxiety, depression)
During treatment, trigger emerges
Trigger is frequently Trump

“It’s to be that fixated on a figure, on a person. It’s simply not healthy.”

Alpert’s professional assessment: fixation on any political figure at the level he observes is pathological.

Reagan Contrast

“And our country has strayed so far away from where we once were. If you look at in the 80s, when President Reagan was shot, people were united. He famously said, I hope you’re all Republicans to the surgeons. That the response was today, Mr. President, we’re all Republicans. But our country has lost that, was strayed so far from that unity.”

The Reagan reference: after John Hinckley Jr. shot Reagan in March 1981, Reagan reportedly said “Please tell me you’re all Republicans” to his surgeons. The lead surgeon, Dr. Joseph Giordano (a Democrat), reportedly replied “Today Mr. President, we’re all Republicans.”

The story represents the kind of national unity Alpert observes has vanished. Political assassination attempts today — Trump shot in Butler, PA, Kirk assassinated — produce entrenched divisions rather than unity.

75% Patient Load

“And what do you see? Because you say you told me off camera, three quarters of your patient load right now has what you’re calling this, this TDS.”

75% of Alpert’s patient load presents with TDS symptoms.

“Well, three quarters of my patients will present with a lot of these symptoms. And within probably five minutes of seeing me, their hatred for Trump comes up.”

The pattern:

Patient arrives with symptoms
5 minutes into session, Trump hatred emerges
Trump is the underlying trigger for the presenting symptoms

“So if you’re that hyper focused on Trump, that’s a real issue and it’s worth being treated.”

Alpert’s clinical framework: this level of political fixation is itself pathological and requires therapeutic intervention.

Significance

Three distinct stories:

Trump-MTG split: Trump withdrawing MAGA endorsement of a prominent Republican congresswoman is significant. MTG had been one of the most vocal Trump supporters. Her criticism of overseas trips prompted Trump’s counter — his diplomacy prevented war. Internal MAGA conflict.
Europe critique: Trump’s personal family connection to Europe (Scotland, Germany) colors his disappointment. The framework: beautiful countries destroyed by immigration and bad policy.
TDS clinical recognition: A psychotherapist publicly describing TDS as a genuine clinical phenomenon with 75% of patients affected is notable. Moves TDS from political rhetoric into clinical territory.

The Alpert interview is particularly damaging to Democratic rhetorical positions. If Trump’s political opponents are literally obsessed to the point of clinical disability, their political framework becomes suspect. Not reasoned opposition — pathological fixation.

The Reagan contrast hits hard. In 1981, political opponents of Reagan wished him well after assassination attempt. In 2024-2025, political opponents of Trump cheered his Butler assassination attempt survival with frustration that it hadn’t succeeded. The shift reflects genuine societal change.

The MTG-Trump split creates internal Republican political drama. MTG was a Trump loyalist; her pivot represents something. The “month or two” change Trump references may relate to specific disagreements — possibly over Epstein file release, overseas trips, or other MAGA-internal tensions.

Key Takeaways

Trump on MTG: “She is a very different thing here than I have. Something happened to her over the last period of a month or two, where she changed, I think, politically … Already, I have people calling me. They want to challenge her to a race in her district in Georgia … she’s lost a wonderful, conservative reputation.”
Trump on China war prevention: “When she says, don’t go overseas, if I didn’t go overseas, we might be in a war right now with China.”
Trump on Europe: “I’m so sad to see what happened in Europe with the immigration. I think above all else, the immigration, but the bad taxing policies … Europe is not the same place.”
Alpert on TDS: “People are obsessed with Trump. They’re fixated. They’re hyper fixated on Trump … They can’t sleep. They feel traumatized by Mr. Trump. They feel restless. I had one patient who said she couldn’t enjoy a vacation because anytime she saw Trump in the news or on her device, she felt triggered … this is a profound pathology. And I would even go so far as to call it the defining pathology of our time.”
Alpert on patient load: “Three quarters of my patients will present with a lot of these symptoms. And within probably five minutes of seeing me, their hatred for Trump comes up.”