‘He was born a very special baby’: GOP congressman mocked for cultlike Trump praise

Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Tex., is facing a wave of backlash for his recent over-the-top praise of President Donald Trump, with critics characterizing his comments as clear examples of cult behavior.

A Special Arrival

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the retiring congressman pulled no punches in his admiration for the president. "Donald Trump is the best thing to happen in this country in a hundred years. He was born a very special baby. I bet you the doctors said, ‘I can tell this is a very special baby,’" Nehls stated.

The remarks came as Nehls floated the idea of state-funded counseling for those suffering from what he called "Trump Derangement Syndrome." He added, "Maybe we ought to provide counseling to all the nutjobs out there that the Donald Trump is the worst thing ever."

Critics Draw Comparisons to Authoritarianism

The congressman’s comments quickly went viral, drawing sharp mockery from political observers online. Retired U.S. Navy College professor Tom Nichols tweeted, "Even in Pyongyang they must be looking at this and wondering WTF," noting that the tone echoed the propaganda seen in authoritarian regimes. Another social media user, @liberallyLV, quipped, "Kim jong un is like nah too much."

Kyle Sweetser, a former Republican who sought an Alabama U.S. Senate seat as a Democrat, echoed the sentiment on social media, labeling the rhetoric as "Cult behavior."

Pop Culture Parallels

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., poked fun at the incident by comparing the scene to the famous "Dear Baby Jesus" scene from the movie Talladega Nights. "Congress is literally Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," Moskowitz tweeted.

Others were equally stunned by the scope of the praise. One user remarked, "At this point we’re one step away from hearing that the Wise Men followed a star straight to Mar-a-Lago," adding that the commentary reached a level of intensity that makes "dictators blush and comedians unemployed."