A top Republican advocate for mental health says he’s confident Donald Trump would be an ally, despite the presidential nominee’s recent comments about veterans with post traumatic stress disorder.
Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., whose mental health reform bill was passed by the House over the summer, said he thinks Trump is “extremely supportive” of mental healthcare for people who need it, especially veterans who encountered traumatic experiences.
Trump got some criticism Monday after appearing to suggest veterans with PTSD are not “strong.”
“When you talk about the mental health problems, when people come back from war and combat — and they see things that maybe a lot of the folks in this room have seen many times over and you’re strong and you can handle it, but a lot of people can’t handle it,” Trump said at a campaign stop in Herndon, Virginia.
“And they see horror stories. They see events that you couldn’t see in a movie. Nobody would believe it,” he said.
Asked whether Trump was unfairly criticized for those comments, Murphy responded “sure.”
“[PTSD] is a normal reaction to an extreme situation,” Murphy told the Washington Examiner. “Everyone has that break point. The message is that it’s treatable and you can get better, and I think that’s what Trump’s message was, too.”
Murphy said he has spoken with Trump about mental health reform and received assurances that, as president, Trump would make it a priority.
“I’ve had conversations with Donald Trump on this, and he’s extremely supportive,” Murphy said.
House and Senate leaders have indicated that passing a final mental health bill by the end of the year is a top priority. The Senate is expected to pass its own version of reform, and then there is likely to be a conference committee to reconcile that bill with Murphy’s House bill.
