Eurovision Song Contest final gets under way in Gaza's shadow

By Francois Murphy

Grand Final of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, in Vienna

VIENNA, May 16 (Reuters) - The Eurovision Song Contest's final got under way in Vienna on Saturday overshadowed by five nations' boycott over Gaza, but Israel's performance went off without any obvious sign of protest in the room.

The garish and ‌usually good-natured competition involving pop acts from countries across Europe and beyond, now in its 70th year, has been plunged into ‌crisis by a dispute over Israel's military offensive in Gaza, a response to the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.

The public broadcasters of heavyweights Spain, the Netherlands and Ireland, as ​well as Iceland and Slovenia, are not taking part in protest at Israel's participation.

"We will not be in Vienna, but we will do so with the conviction that we are on the right side of history," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on X on Friday.

Israel has alleged a global smear campaign against it.

Finland's entry, "Liekinheitin," or Flamethrower, a love song in Finnish featuring violinist Linda Lampenius and pop singer Pete Parkkonen on a burning set, is the favourite ‌this year, followed by Australia's "Eclipse", a celestially themed ⁠love ballad sung by national pop star Delta Goodrem.

They performed their routines without any mishaps.

Further down the bookmakers' rankings was Israel's Noam Bettan, whose trilingual love song "Michelle" was notable for courting less controversy than Israel's entry last year, ⁠which was sung by a survivor of the October 7 attack.

Israeli public broadcaster KAN did, however, receive a formal warning from organisers a week ago over videos posted online in which Bettan courted votes too aggressively, after a similar controversy involving Israel last year.

KAN said it plays by the rules and the videos were ​immediately ​taken down.

SMALLEST CONTEST IN TWO DECADES

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At least 1,200 people were killed in the ​October 7 attack, most of them civilians. Israel responded by ‌launching an assault on the enclave that has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and left much of Gaza in ruins.

The boycotts cut the number of contest entries to 35, the fewest since 2003, which will almost certainly reduce the global television viewership of an event that last year was estimated at 166 million people, more than the Super Bowl's 128 million. There will be 25 countries, including Israel, taking part in Saturday's final.

"We're going through some challenging times at the moment," Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green told a press conference before the show.

Green urged viewers ‌to put the world's problems to one side during the show, which started at ​9 p.m. CET (1900 GMT).

"Just for a moment, well maybe 4-1/2 hours, maybe close the ​curtains to the outside world and dream that something else is ​possible," he said.

PROTESTS IN VIENNA HAVE BEEN SMALL

The mood in the Austrian capital has been tense and subdued, with ‌protests over Israel's participation drawing only small crowds. Police said ​they were bracing for protests on ​Saturday but the anticipated "blockades and disruption attempts" did not materialise.

A protest near the venue drew just a few hundred people, a fraction of the 3,000 organisers had said they expected.

There was a brief disruption during Tuesday's semi-final, when one protester chanted "Stop, stop the genocide" ​and "Free, free Palestine" within range of a television microphone.

He ‌and three others "were removed from the arena for disruptive behaviour," the European Broadcasting Union and Austrian national broadcaster ORF, the ​organiser and host, said in a joint statement.

Bettan told Reuters he heard some booing as he took the stage on Tuesday.

(Reporting ​by Francois Murphy, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien, Rod Nickel and Cynthia Osterman)

byVincento Seyarto

in

May 16, 2026

Eurovision Song Contest final gets under way in Gaza's shadow

By Francois Murphy Grand Final of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, in Vienna VIENNA, May 16 (Reuters) - The Eurovision Son...

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The Latest: The grand final in this year's Eurovision Song Contest gets underway in Vienna

The final of theEurovision Song Contestgot underway Saturday with tight security and rainy weather failing to dent the enthusiasm of the fans — or that of the critics who thinkIsrael shouldn’t have been invitedto the party.

Austria Eurovision Song Contest

After a week’s buildup, acts from 25 countries took the stage at the Wiener Stadthalle arena in Vienna to battle for the continent’s pop crown. Millions of viewers around the world will cast judgment on a fiery Finnish violinist, a Moldovan folk rapper, a Serbian metal band and many more at Eurovision’s 70th anniversary event.

The contest has been clouded for a third year by calls for Israel to be excluded over its conflicts in Gaza and elsewhere, with five longtime participants —Spain,the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia —boycotting in protest.

Here is the latest:

First performers take the stage

Denmark’s all-Danish-language Eurovision entry was first with Søren Torpegaard’s “Før Vi Går Hjem,” which he delivered with the specific skillset of someone who has starred as Tony in “West Side Story,” Angel in “Kinky Boots” and Romeo in “Romeo & Juliet.”

Sarah Engels followed, representing her home country of Germany with “Fire.” As the second performer of the night, she took the opportunity to bring pyrotechnics to the stage.

Then came Noam Bettan’s “Michelle” — Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision, which has drawn criticisms. Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland withdrew from the competition this year, choosing not to participate to protest Israel’s inclusion.

Most recently, Bettan’s performance was disrupted by protesters during the first semi-final on Tuesday; chants of “Stop the genocide!” were heard in the crowd. At the final, it wasn’t immediately clear if that continued.

Belgium’s Essyla took the stage with “Dancing on the Ice” — a cool ride with its chilly vocal performance andBillie Eilish-informedproduction, followed by Albania’s Alis.

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Protesters call for Israel’s exit from Eurovision ahead of the show

Protesters called for Israel to be excluded from Eurovision demonstrated near the contest arena ahead of the final. Several hundred marched, with chants of “all of Vienna hates the ESC,” a reference to the Eurovision Song Contest.

They were kept well away from the venue which lies behind a police security cordon.

Demonstrator Echo Vinasha Lex said it was “important to protest against that idea that the song contest is not political. The song contest is a very political event.”

A tribute to the host as the Eurovision final kicks off

At the start, a filmed opening montage showcased Austria’s majestic scenery as a paper boat made its way to Vienna — a reference to 2025 Eurovision winner JJ’s storm-tossed performance of “Wasted Love.”

The show opened with a performance by last year’s winner, the operatically trained Austrian singer JJ, and an Olympics-style flag parade of the 25 finalists. Then it was on to performances by the musicians, who have just 3 minutes to win over millions of viewers who, along with national juries of music professionals, pick the winner.

The hosts for the extravaganza on Saturday are Michael Ostrowski, an Austrian actor best known for German-language comedy films, and Victoria Swarovski, a model, singer, TV presenter and heir to the Swarovski crystal and luxury goods business.

Eurovision director hails ‘brilliant’ show amid protests

The head of the Eurovision Song Contest has urged viewers to put politics aside and enjoy the “brilliant, wonderful, heartfelt show” that is the competition’s grand final.

As the contest turns 70 with calls for Israel to be kicked out over the conduct of its war in Gaza and a five-country boycott, Eurovision director Martin Green said the contest is a chance for a few hours to “close the curtains to the outside world and dream that something else is possible.”

He told a news conference that for 70 years Eurovision has given “voice to the voiceless” and celebrated marginalized communities.

“Here’s to the next 70 years,” he said.

byVincento Seyarto

in

May 16, 2026

The Latest: The grand final in this year's Eurovision Song Contest gets underway in Vienna

The final of theEurovision Song Contestgot underway Saturday with tight security and rainy weather failing to dent the enthusiasm of th...

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Texas hospital to launch youth 'detransition clinic,' fire doctors to settle state probe

By Daniel Wiessner

FILE PHOTO: Donald Trump holds a rally in Conroe, Texas

May 15 (Reuters) - The largest children's hospital in the United States will create the country's first "detransition clinic" to undo gender-affirming treatments for transgender youth and fire five ‌doctors who performed the procedures to settle an investigation by the state, Texas Attorney General ‌Ken Paxton said on Friday.

Paxton, a Republican, said in a release that Texas Children's Hospital in Houston would also pay $10 million ​for allegedly billing the state's Medicaid program for gender-affirming treatment prohibited by state law.

Paxton's office said the settlement was the result of a years-long investigation into the 1,000-bed hospital's practices, including allegedly using false billing codes when seeking Medicaid reimbursements, and that the settlement was coordinated with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Texas Children's in ‌a statement said it has been compliant ⁠with all laws. The hospital said it was settling the investigation "to protect our resources from endless and costly litigation" and return to focusing on patient care.

"We stand ⁠proud knowing we will always put our purpose over politics and that we have and will continue to follow the law," the hospital said.

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Reuters could not immediately obtain a copy of the settlement agreement.

The agreement is a ​significant ​victory for opponents of gender-affirming treatment for minors, including ​President Donald Trump's administration. The Justice Department is ‌investigating providers across the country, including a criminal probe involving one of New York City's major hospital networks, for providing treatment such as hormone therapy and surgeries to minors.

Under the terms of the settlement announced on Friday, Texas Children's will establish the first-ever multidisciplinary clinic designed to reverse the effects of gender transition procedures, Paxton's office said. For the first five years, the hospital will provide those services free ‌of charge to patients.

The unidentified doctors who will be fired ​under the settlement "performed harmful interventions on Texans," Paxton's office said. ​The hospital agreed to permanently terminate the ​doctors' privileges and never again hire or credential them.

Texas Children's will also amend its ‌bylaws to trigger automatic relinquishment of privileges ​for any doctor who violates ​the state's ban on gender-affirming care for minors.

Separately, Paxton's office in February sued the operator of a 400-bed children's hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, for allegedly performing "gender interventions" on children as ​young as 9 years old. The ‌lawsuit also names a gynecologist at the hospital for allegedly performing procedures banned by state ​law on 19 patients. That hospital has denied wrongdoing.

(Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, ​New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Bill Berkrot)

byVincento Seyarto

in

May 15, 2026

Texas hospital to launch youth 'detransition clinic,' fire doctors to settle state probe

By Daniel Wiessner FILE PHOTO: Donald Trump holds a rally in Conroe, Texas May 15 (Reuters) - The largest children's hospit...

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New Virginia law banning `assault firearms' prompts quick lawsuits from gun-rights groups

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed legislation banning the sale and manufacture of certain semi-automatic firearms, prompting immediate lawsuits from gun-rights groups.

Gun Laws Virginia

The limits on “assault firearms,” as they are described by the legislation, are among two dozen new restrictions and regulations on guns enacted by the Democratic governor in her first few months in office. That marks a sharp policy reversal from her Republican predecessor, who had vetoed many similar measures.

“Firearms designed to inflict maximum casualties do not belong on our streets," Spanberger said in a statement Friday. "We are taking this step to protect families and support the law enforcement officers who work every day to keep our communities safe.”

The new gun restrictions move Virginia closer to the likes of California, Illinois and New York, which similarly have full Democratic control of their legislatures and governors' offices. They also highlight a continued national divide on gun policy, as various Republican-led states have taken steps to relax firearm restrictions that they describe as an infringement on Second Amendment rights.

A dozen states now target semi-automatic firearms

The new Virginia law, which takes effect July 1, will make it a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine, for people to buy, sell, transfer, import or manufacture an “assault firearm.”

The measure defines that term to include semi-automatic rifles or pistols with a magazine capacity of more than 15 rounds. It also includes firearms with other characteristics, such as rifles capable of accepting a detachable magazine that have a second handgrip or a collapsible stock. The prohibition also applies to magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds. For most people, there’s no penalty for merely possessing such weapons.

Eleven other states and Washington, D.C., already havelaws prohibiting the sale an manufactureof certain semi-automatic firearms, though the details vary. Hawaii, for example, prohibits certain semi-automatic pistols and high-capacity magazines, but not semi-automatic rifles.

Gun-rights groups challenge the Virginia law

Legal challenges came swiftly after Spanberger signed the legislation Thursday. The National Rifle Association, joined by other groups, sued in both federal and state court, asserting violations of the right to bear arms.

“The firearms and magazines banned in this law aren’t bizarre and unusual outliers, they’re among the most commonly owned guns and magazines in the country," said Adam Kraut, executive director of the Second Amendment Foundation, which joined the NRA in the federal lawsuit. “They’re owned in the tens of millions by peaceable Americans who use them overwhelmingly lawfully.”

The U.S. Department of Justice alsovowed to sueto block the Virginia law from being enforced.

The Virginia measure would “infringe on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens to enjoy and use AR-15 rifles for lawful purposes by making it a crime to purchase and sell them,” Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the department’s civil rights division, wrote in an April letter to Spanberger.

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Courts have upheld other bans on semi-automatic weapons

So far, laws restricting certain semi-automatic firearms generally have been upheld, including by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Virginia, Maryland and several additional states.

That appellate court twice upheld a Maryland law banning dozens of types of semi-automatic weapons, describing them a 2024 ruling as “military-style weapons" that are ill-suited for self-defense. It concluded that “the Maryland law fits comfortably within our nation’s tradition of firearms regulation.”

TheU.S. Supreme Court last year declined to heara challenge in that Maryland case. But gun-rights advocates remain hopeful of a different outcome in future cases, noting that three conservative justices on the nine-member court disagreed with the decision and a fourth expressed skepticism that such firearm bans are constitutional.

A change in governor leads to a change in laws

Former Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkinvetoed legislationeach ofthe past two yearsthat would have prohibited the sale of certain semi-automatic firearms.

But Youngkin's term ended in January, and he was succeeded by Spanberger. The transition presented a huge opportunity for advocates of gun restrictions, who already had support within the Democratic-led Legislature.

Spanberger, a former CIA officer and U.S. House member, had previously been a volunteer with Moms Demand Action, a group founded after a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut claimed the lives of 26 people in 2012. The group lists 20% of the Democrats in the Virginia House as its past volunteers.

"The fact that a former Moms Demand Action volunteer just signed an assault weapons ban in the home state of the NRA speaks volumes about how dramatically the political calculus around gun safety has shifted,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, the umbrella organization for Moms Demand Action..

Republican states act to expand gun rights

While Virginia tightens gun regulations, many Republican-led states have been expanding gun rights.

On the same day Spanberger signed the semi-automatic firearm restrictions, Missouri's Republican-led Legislature gave final approval to legislation creating a school ranger program that could let trained volunteers carry firearms in schools.

A law signed by Spanberger last month raised the age to purchase a handgun in Virginia from 18 to 21. By contrast, Republican West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed a law last month lowering the age from 21 to 18 for carrying concealed guns without a state permit.

Yet another law signed by Spanberger last month opens new grounds for lawsuits against the firearms industry. That came shortly after Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a law limiting liability lawsuits against the firearms industry.

byVincento Seyarto

in

May 15, 2026

New Virginia law banning `assault firearms' prompts quick lawsuits from gun-rights groups

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed legislation banning the sale and manufacture of certain semi-automatic firearms, prompting ...

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Trump says he is losing patience with Iran, did not ask China for favors

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Jana Choukeir

Mural depicting late Iranian leaders in Tehran

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE/DUBAI, May 15 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday his patience with Iran was running out and that Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed Tehran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but China gave no indication it would weigh in.

As he flew back from Beijing on Friday after two days of talks with ‌Xi, Trump said he was considering whether to lift U.S. sanctions on Chinese oil companies buying Iranian oil. China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil.

His comments shed no light on whether Beijing might ‌use its influence with Tehran to end a conflict it said should never have started.

"I'm not asking for any favors because, when you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return," Trump said, when asked by a reporter on board his plane whether Xi had ​made a firm commitment to put pressure on the Iranians to reopen the strait, a key waterway for oil shipments.

Xi did not comment on his discussions with Trump about Iran, although China's foreign ministry issued a blunt statement outlining Beijing's frustration with the Iran war.

"This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue," the ministry said.

'WE WANT THE STRAITS OPEN'

Iran effectively shut the strait to most shipping in response to U.S.-Israeli attacks that began on February 28, causing an unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies.

The U.S. paused its attacks on Iran last month but began a port blockade. Tehran said it would not unblock the strait until the U.S. ended its blockade. Trump has threatened to attack Iran again ‌if it does not agree to a deal.

"We don't want them to have ⁠a nuclear weapon, we want the straits open," Trump had said in Beijing, sitting alongside Xi.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran had received messages from the U.S. indicating Washington was willing to continue talks.

"We hope that, with the advancement of negotiations, we will reach a good conclusion so that the Strait of Hormuz can be completely secured and we ⁠can expedite the normalisation of traffic through the strait," he told reporters in New Delhi.

Iran, which has long denied that it intends to build a nuclear weapon, has refused to end nuclear research or relinquish its hidden stockpile of enriched uranium, to Trump's frustration.

"I am not going to be much more patient. They should make a deal," Trump said in an interview aired on Thursday night on Fox News' "Hannity" program, suggesting the enriched uranium needed to be secured by the U.S. for "public relations" rather than ​practical ​necessity.

Oil prices rose around 3% to around $109 a barrel on concerns over a lack of progress in resolving the conflict. [O/R]

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U.S. Treasury ​yields hit their highest in around a year as traders anticipated the Federal Reserve might ‌need to hike rates to rein in inflationary pressures from the blockade. [/US]

After talks between Trump and Xi on Thursday, the White House said Xi had made clear China's opposition to any Iranian effort to charge a toll for use of the strait.

Trump said Xi also promised not to send Iran military equipment. "That’s a big statement," Trump said on "Hannity".

Asked about U.S. sanctions on Chinese oil refineries buying Iranian oil, Trump told reporters on his plane: "We talked about that and I'm going to make a decision over the next few days."

IRAN DOES NOT TRUST THE AMERICANS

China has dismissed reports it had plans to supply weapons to Iran as "groundless smears," but analysts doubt Xi will want to push Iran hard or end support for its military, given its value as a strategic counterweight to the U.S.

Talks on ending the war, which has become a liability for Trump ahead of U.S. congressional elections in November, have been on hold ‌since last week when Iran and the U.S. each rejected the other's most recent proposals.

Iran would welcome Chinese input, Araqchi said ​on Friday, adding that Tehran was trying to give diplomacy a chance but did not trust the U.S., which has curtailed previous rounds ​of talks by launching air strikes.

Iran is prepared for a resumption of fighting as well as for ​diplomatic solutions, Araqchi said, reiterating that vessels not linked to states attacking his country could traverse the Strait of Hormuz if they coordinated with Iran.

Iran state media said on Friday ‌that more than 31 million Iranians had signed up for a campaign to demonstrate ​public readiness to defend the country in a conflict, as ​the country started weapons courses for pro-government volunteers.

Before the war, about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas as well as fertiliser and other vital supplies passed through the strait. Attacks on shipping have prevented almost all traffic.

The UAE said it would speed up building a new pipeline to its port in Fujairah just outside the strait, after a vessel heading to it was sunk this week and ​another was boarded and redirected to Iran.

Thousands of Iranians were killed during the U.S. ‌and Israeli air strikes, and thousands have been killed in Lebanon in renewed fighting there between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.

The U.S. State Department announced on Friday that Israel and Lebanon ​had agreed to a 45-day extension of a fragile ceasefire, which had been due to expire on Sunday.

Hezbollah opposes the talks, in which Israel is insisting on the group's disarmament.

(Reporting by Reuters ​Newsrooms, Writing by Stephen Coates, Philippa Fletcher and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Gareth Jones, Kevin Liffey and Cynthia Osterman)

byVincento Seyarto

in

May 15, 2026

Trump says he is losing patience with Iran, did not ask China for favors

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Jana Choukeir Mural depicting late Iranian leaders in Tehran ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE/DUBAI, May 15 (Reute...

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Zelenskiy says Russia considering plan to attack NATO country from Belarus

May 15 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that Russia was seeking to draw Belarus deeper into its war in Ukraine ‌and was weighing plans to attack Ukraine's north or a NATO ‌country from Belarusian territory.

"We continue to document Russia's attempts to draw Belarus deeper into the war ​against Ukraine," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app after meeting military and intelligence officials.

He said Ukraine knew of additional contacts between Russia and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to persuade him to join "new Russian aggressive operations".

"Russia is considering plans for ‌operations to the south and ⁠north of Belarusian territory – either against the Chernihiv-Kyiv direction in Ukraine or against one of the NATO countries directly from ⁠the territory of Belarus," he said, without providing any further details.

Belarus borders Ukraine to the south, and NATO members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia to the north and ​west.

There was ​no immediate response to Zelenskiy's comments ​from Moscow or Minsk. Moscow does ‌not disclose its military plans in Ukraine, which are classified as state secrets.

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Lukashenko, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies, allowed his territory to be used for part of Russia's February 2022 invasion of its smaller neighbour, although he has not sent Belarusian troops to fight there.

Minsk has since agreed ‌to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons and ​hypersonic Oreshnik missiles on its territory.

Zelenskiy said last ​month that Ukraine had intelligence ​that Russia was making preparations that showed it would once ‌again try to involve Belarus in ​its more than four-year-old ​war.

"Ukraine will undoubtedly defend itself and its people if Alexander Lukashenko makes the wrong call and decides to support this Russian intention as ​well," he said.

Zelenskiy said ‌he had instructed Ukraine's defence forces to prepare a response plan and ​to strengthen defences in the northern Chernihiv and Kyiv regions.

(Reporting ​by Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

byVincento Seyarto

in

May 15, 2026

Zelenskiy says Russia considering plan to attack NATO country from Belarus

May 15 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that Russia was seeking to draw Belarus deeper into its war in Ukraine ...

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Trump Derangement Syndrome ‘actually is a disease’ president claims at White House health event

Is opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies a sincere political stance or the sign of a mental health problem? He seems to believe it’s the latter.

During a Oval Office event focusing on new maternal health initiatives on Monday, the president accused Democrats who voted against his partisan spending package last year of doing so because of “Trump Derangement” and claimed the opposition “can’t even see straight” because of their alleged symptoms.

“They've got serious Trump Derangement, which actually is a disease. I'm hearing it is actually a disease. It's an honor,” Trump said.

The president was referring to a fake condition coined by MAGA-aligned media figures who accuse Democrats of opposing him because of what they call “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

Moments afterwards, the White House official X account posted an ersatz prescription for the non-existent condition advising treatment by “trusting in Trump,” listening to the U.S. national anthem, limiting consumption of “fake news” — the president’s term for legitimate media organizations — and cautioning against being a “panican.”

The pejorative term is an adaptation of a similar dig at Democrats, “Bush Derangement Syndrome,” which was coined by conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer during the George W. Bush administration in 2003.

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Krauthammer, who was a Harvard University-trained psychiatrist before embarking on a second career as a political commentator in the early 1980s, had defined the fake medical condition as “the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency —n ay — the very existence of George W. Bush."

Two decades later, the “Trump Derangement Syndrome” line has been frequently deployed against Democrats — or anyone who isn’t in lockstep with Trump’s political positions — as a way of delegitimizing and denigrating that opposition by intimating that Trump’s opponents are incapable of rational political discussions.

In one notorious example, Trump suggested that the death of the late Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle Reiner was “reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS."

In fact, the Reiners had been stabbed to death, allegedly by the director’s son Nick, who is currently facing murder charges in Los Angeles, California.

The president’s comments came just a day before he leaves for a sensitive state visit to China and hours after he engaged in an late-night Truth Social posting session in which he spent several hours resharing AI-generated images and other posts on his social media site from MAGA loyalists.

It included messages describing him as “The Greatest of All Time,” declaring “Thank God for Trump,” and amplifying a poll which he claimed as proof that he’d surpassed the late Ronald Reagan as the “most beloved president among Republicans.”

One post depicted Trump’s face being carved into Mount Rushmore alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. while another attacked Democrats as having “no solutions,” “no policies,” “no joy,” and “no love for America.”

byVincento Seyarto

in

May 14, 2026

Trump Derangement Syndrome ‘actually is a disease’ president claims at White House health event

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