By Staff

For years, Donald Trump and his supporters have accused critics of suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” But recent events and long-standing patterns reveal a far more obvious reality: Donald Trump suffers from Obama Derangement Syndrome.
More than a decade after Barack Obama left office, Trump remains fixated on him. He invokes Obama constantly—at rallies, in interviews, on social media, and in moments that have nothing to do with current policy debates. This is not casual comparison or historical reflection. It is obsession.
That obsession recently crossed a line. Trump shared a racist video on his Truth Social account depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle. The post remained live for hours before being removed after widespread backlash, including condemnation from members of Trump’s own party. The imagery relied on one of the oldest and most dehumanizing racist tropes in American history.
This was not satire. It was not political critique. It was racial degradation.
What makes Trump’s fixation so revealing is the insecurity behind it. Obama’s presidency represents a direct challenge to Trump’s self-image. Under Obama, the economy recovered from the Great Recession and experienced sustained growth. Deportations were higher than under Trump. U.S. foreign policy was assertive without being chaotic, and America’s global standing was more stable and respected.
Those facts complicate Trump’s narrative of singular greatness—and they clearly continue to bother him.
When the post was taken down, blame was shifted to staff. But leadership is accountability. Trump has repeatedly claimed ownership of his social media voice and insisted he posts intentionally. Passing responsibility after outrage does not erase intent or consequence.
This episode was not an isolated mistake. It was a window into a mindset shaped by grievance, resentment, and an inability to move on from a predecessor who continues to overshadow him historically and symbolically.
If Trump truly believed his legacy surpassed Obama’s, he wouldn’t need to keep dragging him back into the spotlight.
This isn’t Trump Derangement Syndrome.
It’s Obama Derangement Syndrome.