In a recent opinion essay exploring the lingering impact of the 2020 presidential election on former President Donald Trump, psychiatrists Deborah L. Cabaniss and Yael Holoshitz emphasized the psychological importance of mourning as a necessary step toward personal and national growth. Responding to comments by Representative Joe Morelle, who described Trump’s ongoing preoccupation with the 2020 election as akin to “the girlfriend in high school that got away,” the authors suggested that unresolved grief may underlie such fixation.

Cabaniss and Holoshitz argue that mourning—acknowledging and processing loss—is essential for overcoming difficult past experiences. They note that people, including political leaders, must confront their losses openly and allow themselves to feel sadness to avoid becoming stagnant. Without this emotional work, they say, both individuals and society risk remaining “frozen in time.”

Highlighting mourning as a courageous act, the authors call for a collective willingness to recognize lost opportunities and possibilities, suggesting that national progress depends on such reflection. They stress that political leadership should incorporate this process, enabling the country to grow beyond past divisions and setbacks.

The psychiatrists’ letter underscores the psychological dimensions of political discourse in the aftermath of a contentious election, proposing that emotional acceptance of loss is a prerequisite for moving forward, both for individuals and the broader public.