I'm Sorry Jim, It's T-D-S

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: I'm Sorry Jim, It's T-D-S
Date: November 19, 2025
Podcast Host: iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

This episode of "Armstrong & Getty On Demand" explores the intriguing concept of "Trump Derangement Syndrome" (TDS) through the lens of psychology and pop culture. The hosts dive into recent scientific perspectives on anxiety and obsessive-compulsive tendencies triggered by political figures, focusing mainly on reactions to Donald Trump. They kick off with a quirky digression about the domestication of raccoons, drawing parallels to dogs, before digging into the main discussion on TDS—its clinical reality, emotional impact, and broader implications for American society.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Domestication of Raccoons (00:13–05:13)

• The hosts begin with a lighthearted discussion about the potential domestication of raccoons, linking it to how dogs were once wild animals before becoming companions:
  • Raccoons are increasingly bold around humans, and less aggressive ones are more likely to survive and reproduce, potentially leading to domestication similar to dogs.
    • “The bolder, less aggressive ones, we kind of ignore. … The ones that are not aggressive reproduce. Thus evolution and… cool”—Getty (01:24)
  • Armstrong shares a basic overview of the genetics behind domestication, mentioning neural crest cells responsible for behavioral and physical changes (floppy ears, shorter muzzles, white patches).
    • “The very genes that control, ‘Hey, I’m bold enough to get close to humans,’ … [are] the same group of genes that result in a shorter muzzle, floppier ears, and like, white patches…”—Armstrong (01:59)
  • Both hosts reflect humorously on the future of raccoon pets and similarities to baby animals, suggesting that “cuteness” factors drive domesticity.

Transition to Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) (05:13–06:10)

• Armstrong clarifies the episode’s main focus: TDS, or Trump Derangement Syndrome.
  • Getty jokes about people fixating on Trump’s opinions and acting in opposition, even when it seems irrational:
    • “If Trump’s masks are bad, I’m wearing a mask for the next five years.”—Getty (06:10)

Clinical Perspective: TDS as a Real Syndrome (06:10–10:41)

• Armstrong discusses a psychotherapist’s findings that TDS can manifest as a mental health issue, sharing traits with anxiety and OCD:
  • Symptoms include intrusive thoughts, emotional dysregulation, compulsive news checking, physical agitation, sleeplessness.
    • “Many confess they can’t stop thinking about Donald Trump even when they try. … They interpret his every move as a threat…”—Armstrong (06:42)
  • Armstrong stresses that these symptoms can seriously affect people’s ability to relax or enjoy daily life:
    • “One patient told me, he writes, she couldn’t enjoy a family vacation because it felt wrong to relax while Trump was still out there.”—Armstrong (07:46)
    • Getty draws an analogy to “being in hate,” where Trump is the first and last thought of the day—(07:02).
• The hosts differentiate between genuine anxiety and performative group outrage, where people derive community and validation from shared fear.
• The psychotherapist’s analysis broadens the discussion from left-leaning sufferers to include some Trump supporters who feel personally threatened when Trump is criticized.
  • “In both cases, emotion replaces reason and psychological distance collapses. … Trump just becomes Trump or anti-Trump becomes how they express that.”—Armstrong (10:36)

Emotional Fixation vs. Rational Engagement (10:41–12:19)

• Armstrong shares his own example: he’s deeply concerned about socialism, but he’s still able to compartmentalize and enjoy life. He expresses sympathy for those unable to separate political obsessions from personal well-being.
  • “I hate it intensely … but the idea that I couldn’t enjoy a vacation knowing that Marxism is knocking on the door, no … I can’t imagine being so tortured by, you know, like any issue like that.”—Armstrong (10:54)
• Getty introduces the “God-sized hole” phrase, suggesting that for some, politics now fills roles once occupied by religion or community life—(12:06).
• Armstrong notes that modern isolation and lack of communal activities incite political obsession online, where anger and outrage are rewarded with attention.

Clinical Solutions and Final Thoughts (12:19–14:30)

• Armstrong discusses the recommended psychological treatment: differentiation, or learning to separate internal anxiety from external political figures.
  • “Patients must learn to separate internal anxiety from external reality and see Mr. Trump not as an emotional projection but, but as an external figure whose significance can be managed rather than magnified.”—Armstrong (13:16)
  • He empathizes with listeners who struggle with these fixations, joking that they might benefit from a pet raccoon instead.
  • Getty and Armstrong riff on amusing raccoon pet names and lightly mock early adopters of raccoon domestication.
• Armstrong wraps with sensible advice:
  • “You will never meet the President of the United States. Most likely, he will be gone in three years. Just control what you can in your own life and just leave it at that. Words of wisdom there, folks.”—Armstrong (14:17)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The idea is that it’s kind of… the raccoons are kind of taking the same trajectory as dogs did.” — Getty (00:29)
• “The very genes that control… boldness are the same group of genes that result in a shorter muzzle, floppier ears, … and a dampened fear response.” — Armstrong (01:59)
• “It’s like being in hate. Your first thought in the morning is Donald Trump and what did he do to make my life worse?” — Getty (07:02)
• “Trump himself isn’t the pathology, he’s the trigger. For many, he functions as a psychological screen onto which unresolved fears and insecurities are projected.” — Armstrong (09:44)
• “You will never meet the President of the United States. … Just control what you can in your own life and just leave it at that.” — Armstrong (14:17)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Raccoon domestication, genetics, and cuteness: 00:13–03:30
• Metaphors about dogs, alert systems, and domestication history: 03:30–05:13
• Introduction of Trump Derangement Syndrome topic: 05:13–06:10
• Detailed description of TDS as an anxiety disorder: 06:10–07:59
• Personal/anecdotal experiences with TDS-like behavior: 07:59–08:35
• Clinical differentiation & projection dynamics for both Trump critics and supporters: 08:35–10:41
• Host reflections on emotional fixations & compartmentalizing political anxiety: 10:41–12:06
• “God-sized hole” theory and discussion about anger as an online motivator: 12:06–13:16
• Treatment suggestions and raccoon humor: 13:16–14:17
• Final, pragmatic advice about personal control vs. obsession: 14:17–14:30

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Tone and Language

The conversation blends Armstrong & Getty’s hallmark mix of wry humor, philosophical pondering, and plainspoken social commentary. Their conversational style pivots between serious and comedic, ensuring clinical perspectives on TDS are accessible and often seasoned with irreverent asides (e.g., raccoon jokes, affectionate ribbing).

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Summary Takeaway

In this episode, Armstrong & Getty use the phenomenon of TDS to raise thoughtful questions about modern anxiety, partisan obsession, and the psychological repercussions of 24/7 political news. They argue for both self-awareness and emotional distance, urging listeners not to let distant political figures dominate their inner lives—or their vacations.

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For listeners interested in the intersection of psychology, politics, and everyday life (with a sprinkling of raccoon trivia), this episode is an insightful, engaging listen.

Transcript

[Jim]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Armstrong]

I'm sorry, Jim. It's TDS. It's one more thing. Armstrong and Getty. One more thing.

[Getty]

Before we get to tds, which I know is Trump Derangement Syndrome. We talked during the Armstrong and Getty show about the domestication of raccoons.

[Armstrong]

Right.

[Getty]

Which I found interesting. And I got the article and I forwarded to my son, who's really into evolution and that sort of stuff. So he'll find that pretty fascinating that the idea is that it's kind of. The raccoons are kind of taking the same trajectory as dogs did.

[Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Getty]

Wild dogs were not something you would. Wanted to walk out and pet back in the day. It chewed your arm off.

[Armstrong]

No, they ran out, they grabbed a wolf, they petted it a couple of times. The wolf said, hey, this is kind of cool. You want to get together? No, no. They started hanging out at the outskirts, Right.

[Getty]

And now raccoons are hanging around. And the bolder, less aggressive ones, we kind of ignore. We don't get freaked out. Like, if I saw a. What would be a beast that would cause you to freak out in your backyard?

[Armstrong]

Mountain lion.

[Getty]

Yeah. If I saw a mountain lion out there, yeah. I'd call the authorities and maybe get a gun and shoot it myself. But a raccoon, you think I'm gonna eat some trash and run over to the next yard?

[Armstrong]

And it doesn't. It's. This one's not showing any aggression, so I'm just gonna stand here and watch it.

[Getty]

So the ones that are aggressive get killed. The ones that are not aggressive reproduce. Thus evolution and. Cool. So pretty soon we'll all have a pet raccoon in our home.

[Armstrong]

Yeah. Yeah, maybe. And the physical changes in the raccoons are interesting too. And the long story short on that, and there are a bunch of examples in human genetics, I'm not an expert or anything that are like this, but for whatever reason, the. There's this special kind of cell. Where is that domestication trace back to an important group of cells during embryonic development called neural crest cells. And they. In early development, they form along in organisms like spine, then migrate to different parts of the body, where they become important for the development of different types of cells. And it turns out that the very genes that control. Hey, I'm bold enough to get close to humans. Aggressive is the same group of genes that results in a shorter muzzle, floppier ears, and like, white patches and a dampened fear response. Not for any logical reasons, just the way genetics are arranged. Sometimes you get a weird variety pack.

[Getty]

Because floppy ears are cuter, which makes you more likely to want to have it and take care of it.

[Armstrong]

Shorter muscle is more reminiscent of babies. They have much softer, less contoured faces than adults.

[Getty]

The babies I've had hardly had a muzzle at all.

[Armstrong]

Yeah, if you've, if you, if you look at, I've seen, you know, photo demonstrations of this. But baby animals, including baby humans, all have very similar characteristics. You know, the shorter muzzles, high foreheads, rounder faces than the adult has. And that's why we look at a puppy and we go, oh. Because it tugs at our very anthropological heartstrings. So protection.

[Getty]

In short, 50 years from now, you'll see a young childless couple pushing a raccoon in a stroller because that's their pet.

[Armstrong]

And I will say, what the, you know, just like I do now as people walk their dogs and cats. A free pass if your dog is old. Anyway, so I found that really, really interesting. And because, you know, I love dogs so much, picturing that process where dogs became, well, proto dogs they called them, became domesticated. Because it's funny, I think maybe sort of, kind of, I had fallen prey to the idea that that was human motivated or initiated by humans. But no, it was these proto dogs were hanging around just close enough to get our garbage because humans have always produced garbage. And several of them were so unafraid of humans, they like wandered up close and looked around and the humans chuckled and thought, you know, that's, it's a good looking creature, you know, maybe it'd keep, you know, our enemies at bay. And over a course of years they became domesticated. But it was a two way street.

[Getty]

An alert system is one of the reasons I've read about this. Oh yeah, our, our deal with, we've got with each other, you'll, you'll kind of lay there half asleep, ready to bark at any sound. So I can sleep soundly and I will feed you and protect you.

[Armstrong]

Yeah. You know, I live in a safe place, in a safe house, in a safe neighborhood. But when Baxter goes and he's always, he's already sleeping a lot more deeply than he used to, I'm going to miss that layer of security because he was an unbelievable watchdog.

[Getty]

Yeah, that's the thing with having a dog, you know, if somebody's at the door.

[Armstrong]

Yeah, yeah. Anyway, that was not our intended topic. Our intended topic was, I'm sorry, Jim, you have tds, Trump derangement Syndrome.

[Jim]

This is the story of the one as head of maintenance at a concert hall. He knows the show must always go on. That's why he works behind the scenes, ensuring every light is working, the H Vac is humming, and his facility shines with Grainger's supplies and solutions for every challenge he faces. Plus 24. 7 customer support. His venue never misses a beat. Call quickranger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.

[Armstrong]

Speaking of science, very sciency in this podcast. And this psychotherapist is writing about how, yeah, it's real. It might not be what you think Trump derangement syndrome is, which is kind of a partisan. Trump's always wrong, and everything that's against Trump is always right.

[Getty]

If Trump's masks are bad, I'm wearing a mask for the next five years.

[Armstrong]

Oh, my God. If Trump says we should open the schools, I'm going to clamp down on the schools and torture the little children's souls for years because I'm a mindless fucking partisan moron. I will never forgive for that. Anyway, the actual Trump derangement syndrome this guy's talking about is it aligns with anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders. Persistent intrusive thoughts, emotional dysregulation, impaired functioning. You got sleepless nights, compulsive news checking, physical agitation. Many confess. And he's talking about his patience. His patience. Many confess they can't stop thinking about Donald Trump even when they try. They interpret his every move as a threat to democracy and their own safety and control.

[Getty]

I've known a few people like this who would get up in the morning and say, okay, what did he do now? You know, open up their phone, just, okay, what. What do you do now? That's the way that, you know, it's like. It's like being in love. Like, your first thought in the morning and last thought at night. It's like being in hate. Your first thought in the morning is Donald Trump and what did he do to make my life worse?

[Armstrong]

And this guy, an actual psychotherapist, is. Is talking about something a little different than speaking of people on the left who like being threatened or like pretending to be threatened or afraid because then they can draw together in a community and get lots of approval from each other because they're all saying the same things about the perceived threat and it feels good to them, socially speaking. That's kind of a different phenomenon, but that. That exists, too. One patient told me, he writes, she couldn't enjoy a family vacation because it felt wrong to relax while Trump was still out there.

[Getty]

Yep.

[Armstrong]

Other, which is just looney tunes.

[Getty]

I was in a situation the other day where God was the topic and a person said this was during the shutdown. The person said with the shutdown going on, it's hard to believe there is a God. I think that's probably fitting into a Trump derangement thing that the people wouldn't have done previously.

[Armstrong]

Yeah. So you can't enjoy having a relationship.

[Getty]

With the Lord as long as Trump's around.

[Armstrong]

Yeah. So others report panic attacks or trouble sleeping after seeing him in the news. Their anxiety has outgrown politics and become a way of being at a group level. The pattern functions like a culture bound syndrome, a condition shared shaped by shared social triggers within a specific context. From a diagnostic standpoint, it overlaps with obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and trauma related syndromes. And then he points out, and this is as a layman, I never would have guessed. But he says it's the clinical importance of distinguishing. This pattern lies in treatment. When it is coded simply as generalized anxiety or ocd. Patients often receive reassurances or validation that briefly soothes them but ultimately reinforces their fixation. In this presentation, anxiety is fused with identity. That's an interesting thought. That's kind of what I was talking about. The therapeutic work is to help patients regain psychological distance so they can separate internal fears from the political figure onto whom they have projected them. Here's the part I really found interesting. Trump himself isn't the pathology, he's the trigger. For many, he functions as a psychological screen onto which unresolved fears and insecurities are project. Political disagreement turns into perceived personal threat. A smaller group of Trump supporters have similar responses of opposite valence. They experience anger and feelings of persecution whenever Mr. Trump is criticized, as if an attack on him were an attack on them. In both cases, emotion replaces reason and psychological distances collapse. That's the part I really hadn't gotten to myself is that these are people who have a particular psychological issue about. How do you describe it? Unresolved fears and insecurities. And Trump just becomes Trump or anti Trump becomes how they express that or how they feel that, how they talk about it.

[Getty]

God, I hope I don't ever do that with anybody.

[Armstrong]

Or anything for that matter.

[Getty]

Yeah, no kidding.

[Armstrong]

I mean, for instance, I don't know. This isn't about me and it's not about you. But I am extremely motivated to fight the forces of Marxism and socialism in the United States because as a student of political. You Know systems since I was a teenager and throughout my life. I know what that will do. It's not a mystery. And I hate it. I mean, I hate it intensely. I can barely talk about it without getting fired up. But the idea that I couldn't enjoy a vacation knowing that Marxism is knocking on the door, no, hell, I'll. I'll enjoy a round of golf. Next time I'm on the golf course, I'll forget about it for a while, then I'll get back to work. I can't imagine being so tortured by, you know, like any issue like that.

[Getty]

Right.

[Armstrong]

I mean, even if I'm like a hardcore pro lifer, surely I can go for a paddle on the lake with my sweetheart and enjoy the colors, turning the leaves, you know, turning colors. But this guy's talking about people who can't. That's sad.

[Getty]

Is it, is it a.

[Armstrong]

God sized.

[Getty]

Hole as some people describe it sometimes. Oh, because people don't have that anymore. This is slipping in there.

[Armstrong]

Yeah, I don't, that's, that's almost certainly part of it. Or you know, we've talked about. Politics has become the true national pastime because people don't, they don't go to church, they don't belong to civic organizations, they don't, you know, volunteer. They don't have real friends that they get together with semi regularly to go bowling or have a potluck or whatever. You know, our generation, our parents generation did. So they gotta fill it with something and it's generally online. And as we know, anger and fear are the. An outrage, which is kind of. Anger are the number one click motivators in the world by far anyway. This is interesting psychologically. The treatment is differentiation. Patients must learn to separate internal anxiety from external reality and see Mr. Trump not as an emotional projection but, but as an external figure whose significance can be managed rather than magnified. They're obsessed. Clear talks about cognitive distance and that's got to suck. I feel for you. That's got to. I mean, whatever your particular fixation is, that's, that's terrible. Huh? You know what they need? You know what these people need? A pet raccoon.

[Getty]

Absolutely. You sit there, you pet your raccoon, you look out the window, you're perfectly.

[Armstrong]

Happy, you got it in your lap.

[Getty]

Good.

[Armstrong]

Good boy. Cooney Cooney coons or masky boy. What would you call a raccoon? All these same dumb names people give their dogs, including me.

[Getty]

Until that thing is leaping at your throat and gouging out your eyes.

[Armstrong]

No, no, don't try this with a bobcat. Bad idea.

[Getty]

Maybe you got one that's not quite domesticated yet. Gouges your eyes up. Should have.

[Armstrong]

Well, the early adapters. Yeah, they're. They're gonna probably not have 10 fingers.

[Getty]

On the cutting edge.

[Armstrong]

Yes, right, right. The biting edge, if you will. Yes. You will never meet the President of the United States. Most likely, he will be gone in three years. Just control what you can in your own life and just leave it at that. Words of wisdom there, folks. Well, I guess that's it.

[Jim]

This is an iHeart podcast.