Ever since then iconic businessman Donald J. Trump first rode down the elevator at Trump Tower in New York City in June of 2015 to announce his intention to run for President of the United States, “Trump Derangement Syndrome” not only became a “thing” but a real mental health issue for a plethora of far-left politicians as well as countless media, academic, and Hollywood personalities.

One decade later, self-destructive, irrational hate seems to be the only tenet of this new “TDS” theology invented and followed by the far-left “intelligentsia.”

As but the most recent example of this, we have this truly bizarre smear masquerading as news offered up by NBC News.

Alleged NBC News in part: “National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard has solicited ideas from current and former intelligence officials about steps she could take to tailor the briefing, known as the President’s Daily Brief, or PDB, to Trump’s policy interests and habits. One idea that’s been discussed is possibly creating a video version of the PDB that’s made to look and feel like a Fox News broadcast, four of the people with direct knowledge of the discussions said.”

I suspect that once they stopped laughing in utter amazement of the absurdity of the “report,” the editors of the satirical sites The Babylon Bee and The Onion immediately thought: “What kind of partisan, no talent, hate-filled amateur hacks are NBC News employing these days to write such fictional humor?”

There is hating Trump and then there is this “Jumping the Shark” cry for mental-health help from NBC News.  For those not familiar with the term, “Jumping the Shark” first became popular because of a 1977 episode of the sitcom Happy Days in which the character Fonzie jumped over a shark while water-skiing.

A bit so laughably bad, that it signaled to many that the writers of the show had run out of plausible and entertaining plot lines and had resorted to insulting the intelligence of their viewers.  Since then, the term has been used to describe anyone or anything which has destroyed its brand and reputation by purposely offering up something demonstrably false, outright ridiculous, or insulting to the intelligence of anyone over the age of five.

In response to this unhinged smear of President Trump and by association, ODNI, Alexa Henning, deputy chief of staff at ODNI posted: “Ok stop me if you’ve heard this before.  NBC News was given numerous on record quotes from ODNI, WH and CIA and they still used numerous ‘anonymous sources’ to justify publishing a false story.  NBC is a failing outlet with zero on-air talent and even more worthless reporters.”

DNI Press Secretary Olivia Coleman said in a statement: “This so-called ‘reporting’ is laughable, absurd, and flat-out false. In true fake news fashion, NBC is publishing yet another anonymously sourced false story.”

White House Spokesman Davis Ingle fired back at NBC News by calling the reporting: “libelous garbage from unnamed sources.  President Trump has assembled a world-class intelligence team who he is constantly communicating with and receiving real time updates on all pressing national security issues…”

With regard to this ludicrous smear from NBC News, I have a theory.  Maybe because the minds of the journalists at NBC News have been so separated from reality, the truth, and professional ethics because of “TDS,” they simply conflated President Trump with President Joe Biden.  As in the president they did seemingly know was severely mentally incapacitated at times and who they also seemingly did cover up for in blind allegiance to ideology and hatred for Trump no matter the danger to the nation such a cover-up might present.  A president they did know needed to have things explained to him in simple “See Spot Run” words and graphics.

Once upon a time, NBC News was rightfully respected because of news anchors such as Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, John Chancellor, and Tom Brokaw.  Now, it is seemingly populated by “journalists” who, like the previous president they went out of their way to protect for partisan reasons, have sadly lost touch with reality and the truth.

Since the start of the administration, not only has President Trump been hitting home run after home run for the nation, but so has Tulsi Gabbard, the director of the Office of National Intelligence.  And, if there is one thing which we have learned over the years, it is that nothing infuriates the unhinged left more than Trump and his team succeeding in protecting the economic and national security interests of every man, woman, and child in our nation.

But at what cost to the truth, to professional ethics, integrity, and even patriotism?  NBC News did “jump the shark” with this preposterous smear.  But worse than that, they seemed to signal that they are willing to do anything to damage President Trump and his team.  Even if it means putting our nation in danger.

Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and author of the book: The 56 – Liberty Lessons from those who risked all to sign The Declaration of Independence.  Follow him @DougOfSkye

US Director Of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard (Photo by Ezra Acayan/pool/AFP via Getty Images, File)