AMAC Exclusive – By Aaron Flanigan
![president-trump-smirking President Trump smirking, sitting behind desk](https://static-asset.amac.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/19093947/president-trump-smirking.jpg)
Among former President Donald Trump’s many political talents is his unique ability to drive his opponents seemingly insane to the point of causing their own self-destruction. Trump’s well-established ability to send his critics to the brink of madness, a phenomenon coined by some as “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” has yielded a large coalition of once-respected political figures who have now destroyed themselves. Here are 10 worth noting.
Mark Milley
One of the most notable victims of Trump Derangement Syndrome is former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, who repeatedly sought to undermine Trump’s presidency and has since made a series of political swipes surrendering his previous status as a respected military leader.
At the peak of the June 2020 Black Lives Matter riots, for instance, Milley drafted a resignation letter to President Donald Trump that alleged Trump was “doing great and irreparable harm” to the nation. Additionally, at the end of President Trump’s first term, Milley reportedly spoke to a Chinese military official behind Trump’s back to promise he would provide advance warning in the event of a U.S. attack—yet another stunning act of insubordination.
Most recently, Milley shockingly used his farewell ceremony in September to slam Trump as a “wannabe dictator,” not-so-subtly suggesting that Trump had sought to subvert the U.S. Constitution and overthrow American democracy, an extraordinary breach of decorum and common sense. Though his remarks predictably won him plaudits from the corporate media class, his bitter conduct was unbecoming of a top military official.
John Bolton
Another former Trump administration official who surrendered his credibility by allowing his personal disdain for Trump to supersede his duty to the country is former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
After Bolton’s acrimonious exit from the Trump administration in 2019, he became a regular Trump critic on left-wing cable programs. Bolton has blamed his former boss for Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, subtly advocated for the left’s relentless political persecution of the former president, and promoted the left’s false and debunked narrative that Trump is a puppet of Vladimir Putin.
In one of the most bizarre displays of Bolton’s anti-Trump insanity, in January he announced he was considering a 2024 presidential bid as a means of preventing Trump from returning to the White House next November—a move that elicited widespread bipartisan mockery.
Bill Kristol
Few political commentators have made opposition to Trump a defining feature of their careers quite like Bill Kristol, a supposed conservative whose deep-rooted hatred of the former president nevertheless drove him to support Joe Biden in 2020. “No regrets at all about this,” he tweeted as he announced his decision on Twitter.
A former Chief of Staff to Vice President Dan Quayle, Kristol is best known these days for his leadership of The Bulwark—an anti-Trump publication ostensibly committed to defending “liberal democracy” and resisting “a Bad Orange Man.” Kristol also spends his time pushing for more U.S. funding for Ukraine, bashing Trump on Twitter, and encouraging Republican voters to abandon their party leading up to the 2024 presidential election.
“We are all Democrats now,” Kristol wrote in a February 2020 tweet. In light of his notoriously poor judgement and bad track record of predictions, Kristol’s formal departure from the conservative movement has been a positive development for the American right.
Jonah Goldberg
Former National Review columnist Jonah Goldberg’s long descent in recent years into the depths of allying himself with left-wing extremism marks another unfortunate instance of Trump Derangement Syndrome in the media.
Goldberg, who once held a prized place among the conservative commentariat class, has now been largely relegated to obscurity in the ranks of left-wing cable shows on CNN and MSNBC. On account of his seething hatred of Trump, Goldberg left National Review to found The Dispatch, a so-called “conservative” publication that has served chiefly as a safe haven for Never Trump has-beens like Goldberg and fellow refugee from National Review David French.
When he’s not attacking Trump and the America First agenda on social media, Goldberg earns a lucrative paycheck from liberal media conglomerates. In a particularly embarrassing CNN appearance in August, he went so far as to deem small-dollar Trump donors as “one of the biggest problems for democracy.”
The man who famously wrote the book on “Liberal Fascism” has amazingly now placed himself in a political coalition with socialists and Marxists who are trying to weaponize every dimension of government and corporate power to persecute and silence their political opponents.
Chris Christie
Once seen as a rising star in the Republican Party, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s fall from political grace has marked one of the most fascinating political stories of the last decade.
Previously praised as the “future of the GOP,” a conservative “fighter,” and a political “disruptor” who would hold sway in the Republican Party for years to come, Christie has redefined himself as the media’s favorite anti-Trump warrior who is more concerned with attacking the former president than promoting conservative causes.
Prior to entering the 2024 presidential race, Christie joined ABC News, one of the most dishonest news organizations in the country, as a contributor, where he raked in $400,000 a year. His status in the 2024 race is increasingly seen as an opportunity for him to secure his next lofty cable news gig, which he would almost certainly use to further brand himself as an anti-Trump “conservative.”
If Christie’s consistent polling in the low single digits is any indication, however, voters do not approve of his change in career path.
Nicolle Wallace
Former Bush White House Communications Director Nicolle Wallace, once a major Republican political operative, now works as an MSNBC host who regularly launches into tirades against Trump and other right-of-center figures in American politics. Most recently, Wallace went viral for a rant against the supposed dangers Trump poses to American democracy, insisting that “something really bad is going to happen.” She continued: “S***’s about to hit the fan in this country,” going on to refer to the “MAGA base” as a “cesspool.”
This episode was far from Wallace’s only moment of visible mental illness on air. Last month, she called the Republican Party the “largest anti-democratic force on the planet.” She has claimed that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s education policies have made her “sick and sad and angry.” And last year, she stated that there is “rot” in white women who have supported Donald Trump.
Wallace now describes herself as a “self-loathing former Republican.” Most Republicans, too, are glad that she has moved on.
Joe Scarborough
Wallace’s MSNBC colleague Joe Scarborough is another notorious example of a one-time “conservative” seemingly driven insane during the Trump era. A former Republican Congressman from Florida’s first congressional district, Scarborough is now famously the host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, on which he regularly lambasts conservatives and parrots the favorite talking points of the Democrat Party and progressive activist class.
Earlier this year, he claimed on air that the “rotted corpse” of the Republican Party is on an “eight-year march toward fascism.” He has also accused Trump donors of funding “white supremacy,” and earlier this year opined that Trump’s town hall on CNN was “as chilling as anything I’ve seen on television since January 6th.”
Much like Nicolle Wallace, Scarborough’s newfound animosity towards Trump and Republicans is certainly mutual. It’s almost hard to believe that Scarborough once tried to overthrow the speakership of Newt Gingrich for ostensibly not being conservative enough.
Chris Wallace
Longtime Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace seemingly lost his mind on live television during the first presidential debate in 2020, which he moderated. During the debate, Wallace routinely cut off Trump while allowing Biden to repeatedly interrupt the former president, while at the same time hurling hard-hitting questions at Trump and frequently interjecting in defense of Biden.
Instead of focusing on substantive issues like Biden’s support for court-packing, the Green New Deal, or defunding the police, Wallace insisted on pivoting to “more substantial subjects” like “climate change”—which consistently ranks near the bottom of issues that voters care about.
In 2022, following his widely criticized debate performance, Wallace left Fox to launch the short-lived “CNN+,” which was infamously discontinued by CNN less than a full month after it kicked off. It seems Wallace hated Trump so much that he threw away his own career to work for one of the most outspoken anti-Trump networks, only to be relegated to obscurity.
Jennifer Rubin
Although Jennifer Rubin, The Washington Post’s token “conservative” columnist, left the Republican Party in 2020, her political attitude—particularly in recent years—suggests that her allegiance has long been allied with the left.
As political commentator Charles Cooke observed of Rubin’s Trump hatred back in 2017, she “stands out among Trump-obsessed zealots who add nothing to our discourse”—repeatedly flip-flopping on key issues like the Paris Climate Accords, the Iran Nuclear Deal, and recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Her position on virtually every issue is essentially defined as, “the opposite of whatever Trump says.”
Though she openly branded herself as a “conservative” for the majority of her career, Rubin has condemned the GOP for allegedly caring only about “white Christianity,” compared pro-life laws to “something out of Communist China,” and has called to “burn down the Republican Party.”
As Cooke wrote of Rubin, “like so many others in the conservative-nay-resistance,” she simply “does not much understand the philosophy at all.”
John Kasich
Yet another figure driven to lunacy during the Trump era is former Ohio Governor John Kasich, who ran against Trump in the 2016 Republican primaries. Though Kasich had long been respected in the Republican Party first as a leading member of Congress and then as a successful governor, his full betrayal of the conservative cause came in 2020 when he endorsed Joe Biden and spoke at the Democratic National Convention. In his remarks, he hailed Biden as “a man for our times.”
Since 2020, Kasich has joined MSNBC as a contributor, where he has remained complicit in the left’s attempts to undermine conservative values. Much like other Never Trump Republicans, Kasich has made his opposition to Trump’s America First agenda the defining characteristic of his career, income, and public image.
Though there are many more people who have been pushed to the brink of mental breakdown by Donald Trump, one thing remains clear: as long as Trump remains active in American politics, he will continue to drive the left and establishment Republicans crazy.
Aaron Flanigan is the pen name of a writer in Washington, D.C.
It is so laughable that anyone thinks Trump wanted to become a dictator and totally disregard our Constitution. I do not like many of his childish remarks about certain people or his large ego, but he clearly shows his love for the U.S., its citizens and the Constitution. In my opinion, he is the ONLY GOP candidate that can bring our country back to a working Democratic Republic. If Biden and the other DC Marxists get to remain in power, our country will be destroyed. That breaks my heart.
To be so full of hatred must be a most miserable state of being. “Above all else guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23
Only ten?
He made most RINO’s & Leftist’s heads explode.
Sobering facts are the reported Border Patrol arrests of suspects on the FBI Terror Watchlist at the southern border:
FY2017 – 2
FY2018 – 6
FY2019 – 0
FY2020 – 3
FY2021 – 15
FY2022 – 98
FY2023 – 151 (so far)
Since the start of 2021, over 1.5 million got-aways. What happened starting in 2021??????
Then we have:
Intelligence failures
Global wars
Terrorism exploding
Southern border disaster
Terrorists on the terror database walking into our country
Child sex trafficking
Fentanyl crisis
Inner city crime
Inflation
Economy
Please, God, bring back President Trump. You don’t have to love the man, love the results!
These Libtards were already beyond deranged before Trump became President!!!!
WHAT MORE WILL IT TAKE FOR ALL OF US TO ADMIT THAT ELECTING BIDEN WAS ALMOST AS BAD AS WHEN THE DEMOCRATS STARTED THE CIVIL WAR IN 1861?
Also how about Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, Adam Schiff and many others.
I’m sure there are dozens and dozens more that could be named. Thank you President Trump for exposing these democrats.
The hardcore leftt looking at President Trump is the same reaction vampires have looking at a cross.
My observation over the last three years of ole Joe and his minions is that what they accuse Trump and his supporters off is describing exactly what they are doing. Not only that but these 10 people all talk about democracy being threatened if Trump is president. Only they do it themselves. According to them there is no good Republican. Ole Joe is bringing America to the brink of economic and military collapse all in the name of climate change. Where is the democracy if half the country are rotten. Milley should have been stripped of his rank and charged with treason but he is nicely retired living on our tax dollars.
Another observation about these 10 and others is they know better but chose the other side to make money. They sold their soul to the devil.
Does the whole staff at CNN count individually or as one?
Naw. The only thing Trump has done is to allow these idiots the ability to expose themselves as extreme, worthless, haters, trouble makers, plus more. Go Trump!
Victory & add MSNBC too Maddow etc Bravo
Trump pulled back the curtain on RINOs, all Democrats and the fake news Media. They are now like cockroaches running from the light and a can of Raid.
But the people he drove to insanity it was a short trip, these people were a little off the beam to begin with.
I have never been in Sanity, but I have been in Cogneto, but no one knew me there.
Drove them to insanity? Guarantee it was a VERY short drive!!! ????
Has has done an excellent job exposing this trash, may he continue in his march to the White House.
The outright hatred that was demonstrated during Trump’s Administration, and continues today is simply mind boggling. The Left will do anything to keep him from another term and that is scary. They have no boundaries they will not cross to achieve their goal. It has come to several States not allowing his name on their ballot. They are disenfranchising a good portion of their citizens by doing this. This hatred needs to be stopped. Hillary, Nancy, Schumer, Schiff and countless others get seriously bug eyed at the mention of his name. Really scary people there.
It really has been crazy to say the least. I guess we just weed em out and say bye bye. I can not believe he has had that much of an affect on people but he has. lol
The ten names mentioned above and the fact they all have been trying in vain to remove President Trump from the picture in terms of politics, tell me my views towards Trump are completely justified…Trump 2024 because he’s the only candidate that has Americas best interest at heart.
Yeah he may not be perfect in terms of not knowing when to shut up, but he’s the best and only viable candidate the Republican party has.
Of course it’s just my opinion, I’m sure their are a few of you that will disagree for whatever reason’s. Like he’s tweets are mean or you don’t like the fact he looks orange…give us all a break, nobody is perfect.
This was a very good read, made my day!!
I remember all of these losers except Nicolle Wallace. Looked up her photo and still don’t remember ever seeing her…
Hilarious! Showing their true colors. Congrats to Trump.
This cadre likely are begging to be included in WEF’s elites. Would not stun me if some or all are invited to join Tyson Foods new insect processing plant here in the U.S. as the newest board of directors’ members.
Lol……ALL 10 are losers anyways!
That are driven mad by President Trumps success, love for America and standing str9ng with Citizens! All of which are Great things for Our Country!
I had to smile while reading this article. These are some main ones for sure. It would take a year to list all those who hate him, though, and that’s very sad.
These people don’t live in the same world that most of us inhabit. Hatred should have no place in the mind of a reporter or politician.
And lest we forget, The Donald also backed down Vlad Putin and Kim Jong Un in North Korea and not a peep was heard from either of them during his administration where he was also dragged into court almost every other week for so called ‘infractions’ that all were bogus. Once the Obama puppet Biden was illegally installed in the presidency all hell broke loose. I suspect this attack on Israel may not have even happened either had the Donald been in office. He no doubt has made a lot of compromises in his business career, some maybe a bit “tainted” but pray tell (and not to white wash) many other “business men” have done far worse…to me, and I may be wrong, I have also never ever believed the story on the World Trade centers…but that’s another very curious and sadly deadly, story.
He’s a take no prisoners president who plainly sees where this nation is being driven…no doubt to make Bush Sr’s dream of a New World Order come true…Bush praised the NWO in his presidential acceptance speech. Never heard Trump voice that sick agenda.
Great article! Trump is the only person who said what he was going to do and to actually do it. I really don’t care about his demeanor, he is respected around the world. I have serious doubts that the world would be in this turbulent time if Trump got a second term.
Trump spent his entire term having to defend himself from already found BULLSH*T charges and he is still fighting new ones. I will be voting for him again without a doubt, even if it is from this ridiculous state of Illinois.
keep stacking them up Mr. president, the US is full of fools.
These are the ones who warned about Trump starting WWIII but Biden their fav may push us right into it, and all over the hatred of Trump. Nice. ????????
He got under the skin of all scairdy cats who call a spade a shovel
Those listed were ALWAYS grifters and NEVER patriotic conservatives. Some played their parts a little more convincingly, but never well enough…with one possible exception…at least in my opinion. john bolton, admittedly, had me fooled much longer than the others. At one point shortly after the election, I actually was duped enough to believe he would’ve been a good choice for SoS. A much better choice than rex tillerson; and tillerson was a really stupid choice. WOW…was I wrong about that Trump-hating clown. The rest were always obvious charlatans while playing conservatives on TV.
He didn’t drive them anywhere they hadn’t already gone. All of the ten named and the thousands left unnamed are half crazed lunatics who wear their indignant and weakness buttons on their chests just waiting for someone to press them. It just happens that President Trump’s very existence is enough to set them off.
Job well done President Trump(45) &(47)! I’m sure there has to be quite a few more than 10!?
Just 10? LOL!
Really? He only allowed the hatred OF him and his supporters to be exposed. To accuse the target of the hate of being the hater is absolute projection, which is his opposition has done since day one.
Not ONE of those slimebags mentioned in the article is worth one plug nickel. They are all left wing morons who basically NEVER added anything to the conservative cause. Jonah Goldberg was writing garbage back in the 90’s. I took National Review for probably 15 years until Bill Buckley died. I couldn’t stand it for a couple of reasons, Goldberg and also the editor who was a squish as well. And anyone that worked for Bush the war monger, Bolton, the idiot communications director, etc. are not and never have been conservative or cared about the USA.
And to think in 2019 I had originally supported John Kasich as I have a preference for Governors in presidential elections. Lost all respect for that turncoat.
Furthermore, if they aren’t going to do what they were set in place for, then they need to step away and allow ones that will.
Gotta love “Trump Derangement Syndrome!” Let’s hope that President Trump retakes the Presidency in 2024 and brings back Trump Derangement Syndrome on STEROIDS! Still lots of other Trump haters (and, of course, all the Demsheviks) out there whom we can hope will be consumed by TDS and soon after crash and burn of their own accord.
For once, I would like to see the congress and politicians doing their job instead of trying to get rid of Trump. They are not doing us any favors by constantly bombarding him with all kinds of accusations or impeachment procedures.
Dammit, we are the ones paying them to do their jobs. Now I want to see them do them no matter how they feel about one man. It’s time they stepped up to the plate and got on with their responsibilities.
Commentator Flanigan failed to include Charles C.W. Cooke of National Review. While editor of NR’s online website, he attacked Trump ceaselessly, even calling for his third impeachment, months following his electoral defeat in 2020. The venom hasn’t ceased in ’22 and ’23, prompting me to end my NR subscription after fifty years.
Excellent article on the two faced Trump traitors they finally found their calling in the mundane news organizations.
More accurate would be ten-fold.
Dufuses all.
DJT has shown an almost savant-like ability to expose the true nature of people. LIke Andrew Jackson, you don’t have to love everything he does but you know he’ll fight for what he believes.
The republicans who stood against Trump and have gone over to the democrats have betrayed their countrymen. Trump has a strong personality, but people who ignore all the good he did for our country because they just don’t like him are being petty. The known “conservatives” who have tried to destroy Trump are arrogant, and arrogance makes you stupid. Trump finally made it possible for us to be energy independent. A huge advantage. Biden destroyed that the 1st day in office. Now it looks like we may be on the verge of WW3 when we’re dependent on countries who don’t like us for vital fuel. Trump knew how to negotiate w/people and kept us out of any other countries’ conflicts. He made it desirable for businesses to come back from other countries to be based here when the outrageous cost of doing business here was lowered. He had our economy in very good shape and growing. Biden and his handlers are destroying us. I believe it’s deliberate. Old Joe is saving our energy for the CCP when they take over. So I have nothing but contempt for the RINOs, they’re either traitors, or incredibly stupid to think Joe Biden is a good president.
All the news readers on MSNBC and CNN.
The worst fanatics are always those who undergo a conversion. That describes these loathsome creatures you listed above.
Did the author forget to mention Liz Cheney?