Objectivists in Denial: Evasion, Envy, and the Misreading of Trump (by Sherwin Newman)

I cherish Ayn Rand’s works (The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged, Anthem, The Comprachicos, Philosophy: Who Needs It, and much more). I loathe the sinister Ayn Rand Institute for precisely the same reasons I cherish Ayn Rand’s ideas. The following article by Sherwin Newman (New Hampshire, on Facebook) is right on point. Bravo to the highly astute author!

Objectivists in Denial: Evasion, Envy, and the Misreading of Trump

It’s astonishing to witness President Trump’s return, seizing the reins of a nation that has crumbled over the past four years under corruption and mismanagement. The IRS and FBI, riddled with dishonest actors, have preyed on American citizens, all with the backing of Biden and the Democrats—spineless, hollow figures who disgrace the very idea of representing this country. Meanwhile, millions of federal employees, contributing next to nothing, have siphoned taxpayer dollars, their uselessness now glaringly obvious. Why didn’t we see this coming? The thought of these freeloaders enjoying public services while we foot the bill is an outrage, reminiscent of Nazi Germany’s government insiders who masqueraded as public servants while undermining the people.
Yet, there’s a deeper layer to this mess—one that exposes a troubling hypocrisy among some who claim to champion Ayn Rand’s Objectivism. Engaging in politics risks scorn and isolation because it’s a battlefield where principles bend and casualties pile up. In a mixed economy or socialist system, power often hinges on the very people propping up the status quo, and shifting their worldview is a slow grind better suited to academia or culture. But in the here and now, applying philosophy to politics means wrestling with entrenched power and societal norms—risking marginalization, ruin, or worse.

That’s why we need voices like Trump, who cuts through the noise with unapologetic honesty. Evil thrives when good people do nothing, and supporting bold truth-tellers is the only way to protect civilization. With Trump back, there’s a shot at reclaiming America’s greatness—ramping up production, drilling for oil, and prioritizing practical policies over what I see as fraudulent ideologies like environmentalism and self-sacrificing globalism. The endless debate pitting capitalism against these globalist talking points is, to me, a flimsy cover for those who want capitalism’s rewards while trashing it. That era of nonsense is done. It’s time to defend capitalism with moral clarity and dismiss the Democrats’ cowardice with the contempt it deserves.

But here’s where it gets murky: some self-proclaimed Objectivists recoil from Trump, and I’d argue it’s not about principle—it’s about evasion and envy. Take the idea that natural-born Americans should be relegated to second-class status while immigrants get priority—pure indoctrination, rooted in guilt trips about settlers taking Native land. Yet it’s the society those settlers built, with its infrastructure and respect for rights, that draws immigrants here. And while America shells out aid to other nations, those same countries slap tariffs on us to shield their economies. This self-sacrificial streak is rotten and demands a hard rethink, starting with the premises propping it up.

So why do some view Republicans and Trump as a bigger threat than the Marxist-leaning new left? I suspect a hidden motive they won’t cop to. Conservatives push back against pornography, drugs, and pedophilia—could that be a clue? Trump, I’d argue, embodies Objectivism’s core—courage, individualism, liberty—more than any living Objectivist. He’s risked his life for his country, championing free speech and prosperity, while these critics stumble over themselves chasing social clout, stunted by an education system that’s left them shallow.

Their disdain for Trump reeks of personal insecurity. They crave the “cool kid” badge, drawn to the edgy, drug-fueled, sexually liberated crowd—whatever’s trending. Trump’s clean-cut life—no booze, no smokes, suited up and sober—grates against that. They’d rather hobnob with Hollywood and the art scene, chasing fame and approval, terrified of being linked to the “boring” Republicans with their guns and faith. Traditional Americans aren’t chic enough for them; they’d rather play European and stylish. It’s a low-self-esteem trap, revealing a hollow core—they’re living a lie, not a philosophy.

The “Trump-as-strongman” scare is laughable—he won fair and square, unlike his rivals. Yet these Objectivists dodge the real threat: the left’s anti-liberty, anti-reason tribalism, peddling environmentalism and DEI nonsense. Trump’s populist wave, backed by Steve Bannon, stands for free speech, industry, and rationality—principles Rand would salute. Their refusal to see this isn’t just error; it’s evasion, a “blank out” in Rand’s terms.

Trump’s philosophy syncs with Rand’s vision: individualism, free markets, human ingenuity driving real capitalism—not the warped “financial” mess we’ve got now. Critics nitpick tariffs (which Rand opposed), but miss the bigger picture—Trump’s push for production and liberty mirrors her ideal of unleashed potential, not monetary games. True capitalism isn’t about short-term profits; it’s about creating wealth through effort. These Objectivists in denial, envious of Trump’s clarity and guts, cling to their facade of sophistication. They’re not just wrong—they’re guilty of betraying the principles they claim to uphold. Maybe it’s time they looked inward, confronted their envy, and stopped running from the truth.  [by Sherwin Newman]

[Postscript from the article’s author: In an era where political battle lines are drawn with ferocious intensity, a curious paradox emerges among those who claim to uphold Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism. As Donald Trump storms back into the spotlight, steering a nation battered by years of decline, he embodies a pragmatic individualism and unyielding resolve that echo Rand’s ideals—yet many self-professed Objectivists recoil. This article, “Objectivists in Denial: Evasion, Envy, and the Misreading of Trump”, probes the unsettling dissonance between Rand’s principles and the hesitancy of her modern followers to embrace a figure who, in action if not always in rhetoric, aligns with her vision of liberty, productivity, and defiance against collectivist decay. What drives this resistance? Is it a principled stand, or something murkier—a cocktail of evasion, envy, and a craving for social approval that betrays the very philosophy they profess? As America stands at a crossroads, with Trump’s return offering a chance to reclaim its capitalist soul, the refusal of these Objectivists to see the forest for the trees demands scrutiny. Here, we unravel the psychological and intellectual knots that bind them, exposing a denial that threatens to undermine the rational legacy they claim to defend.]