Piers Morgan accuses Mehdi Hasan of 'Trump Derangement Syndrome', says it got Trump re-elected

LONDON, UK: Broadcaster Piers Morgan accused journalist Mehdi Hasan of suffering from what he called "Trump Derangement Syndrome," arguing that relentless criticism of Donald Trump played directly into the Republican's hands and helped secure his re-election by a large margin.

The exchange unfolded during a heated on-air debate on 'Piers Morgan Uncensored' in which Morgan said excessive outrage over Trump ultimately benefited the president politically.

Hasan strongly rejected the claim, countering that Trump’s return to office was enabled by media figures who failed to confront the president’s authoritarian behavior.

Piers Morgan says getting enraged helped get Trump re-elected

Morgan began by praising Hasan for building the independent media outlet 'Zeteo', but quickly pivoted to criticism.

He told Hasan, "One of the reasons Donald Trump got re-elected is that you guys have got literally Trump derangement syndrome. It plays into his hands[...]when you're so blindly enraged by everything, including silly jokes he says, you're so deranged about it."

Morgan then emphatically added, "Actually, in the end, you managed to achieve the unthinkable. You managed to help get Trump re-elected. He got re-elected with a bigger majority."

Morgan also said that he preferred to judge President Donald Trump on a case-by-case basis, praising him when warranted and criticizing him when not, rather than condemning him wholesale.

Mehdi Hasan accuses Piers Morgan of 'Trump Denial Syndrome'

Hasan pushed back forcefully, disputing Morgan’s account of why Trump returned to power.

He said, "The reason he got re-elected, I would argue, is the media gave him a pass. People like you, I came on your show on the eve of his election, and you were telling me all sorts of things: 'Oh, don't call him a N**i. Don't call him a fascist.' Meanwhile, we have masked thugs pulling American citizens off the streets, shooting them in cold blood." 

Hasan was referring to the killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

Hasan cited past warnings he said had been borne out, including Trump’s efforts to remain in office after the 2020 election and the use of force by state authorities during Trump’s second term.

Hasan said Morgan had previously accused Trump of inciting an armed mob and attempting to stay in power in 2021, only to soften his stance later once the Republican got elected. 

"Piers, in January 2021, accused him of trying to stay in office. You said he sent an armed mob to the Capital. You said he should be removed from office, never be president again. You changed your tune once he got back to the presidency. I get that. That's fine," he said.

Hasan then added, "As for being Trump derangement syndrome, it's the very opposite. Even I didn't think he'd be trying to start a war with Denmark. Even I didn't think he'd be shooting Americans in the street 14 months into his presidency."

"Even I didn't think he'd be this corrupt on this level so openly. So in fact, he's been much worse than those of us who allegedly have TDS. You have TDS, Piers. You have 'Trump denial syndrome,'" he added.

Piers Morgan defends Donald Trump

The argument escalated and also touched on accusations of racism, with Hasan citing Trump’s past remarks about Somalis and intelligence.

Morgan did not directly address the specific comments; instead returning to his objection to comparisons between Trump and H****r.

Morgan rejected Hasan's characterizations, repeatedly insisting that Trump was "not a N**i" and "not a fascist."

He accused Hasan of trivialising the crimes of Adolf H****r by making such comparisons, saying they were historically inaccurate.

"When people like you on the left keep calling Trump a N**i or comparing him to Adolf H****r, that is exactly what I'm talking about is Trump derangement syndrome," he said. 

"It is so ridiculous, so offensive, so inaccurate. Adolf H****r and the N***s murdered 12 million people... There is zero comparison to be made," he explained.