Nicko McBrain Says Trump and Cronies Should Be Jailed

The Rejected Golf Invitation and Political Critique

The veteran musician Nicko McBrain recently revealed to the U.K.'s The Telegraph that he turned down a personal opportunity to meet and play golf with Donald Trump. The **74-year-old** drummer explained that the invitation came through a friend who is a "massive Republican." McBrain recounted his blunt refusal of the offer during the interview.

"I was actually invited to go and play golf with him. A friend of mine who's a massive Republican said, 'Oh, do you want to come and play golf with us? With the president.' And I said, 'You fucking what?'… and I just said, 'No. No, mate.'"

— Nicko McBrain

Despite stating that he does not consider himself "politically inclined," McBrain expressed strong disapproval of Trump’s personality and several specific issues. He cited the president's narcissism, the controversy surrounding the Epstein files, and military actions involving Iran as primary reasons for his stance.

"I'm not politically inclined, although I must be because I have my thoughts about him. I'm not amused by the narcissism, and all this kerfuffle about the Epstein files and whatnot, and especially the debauched war that he's put on Iran."

— Nicko McBrain

Predictions of Imprisonment for Pete Hegseth

McBrain also took aim at U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has faced criticism for his leadership of the U.S. military. The drummer predicted that Hegseth and others in Trump's inner circle would eventually face legal consequences.

"And this Pete Hegseth business — oh, he's going to be put in prison. My last word on Trump and his bunch of cronies is, they should be put in jail."

— Nicko McBrain

Broader Political Context within Iron Maiden

McBrain is not the only member of the Heavy Metal group to comment on Trump’s actions. In **August**, singer Bruce Dickinson mocked Trump’s controversial executive order that directed the U.S. government to refer to Lake Ontario as "Lake America." During a concert in Toronto, Dickinson joked about the band’s journey, mentioning that they had crossed the "Lake Of Ontario."

Dickinson has previously discussed his own political views, describing himself as "right of center" but not a socialist. In a **2017** interview with Vice, he explained why he rarely includes politics in his writing, such as his autobiography *What Does This Button Do?*.

"There's not really anything to say about politics during the period that hasn't already been said by much more learned commentators than me. I'm a musician. Do I have political views? Yes. Is an autobiography a place to put them? No. What that does is that it attaches an inordinate amount of weight and self-importance to your own political viewpoint... I'm just one citizen out of millions and I have one vote and so does everyone else."

— Bruce Dickinson

Dickinson also expressed concern regarding the polarization of modern society and the disintegration of the political middle, drawing on his background as a history student.

"What worries me as a guy who did history at college is looking at history and seeing how, when the middle disintegrates in different societies, how it has always led toward a polarization, which has in turn led to some unpleasant effects. It has happened in Europe on a regular basis. The one place it hasn't happened, as a matter of fact, is the U.K."

— Bruce Dickinson

Regarding the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union, Dickinson admitted to voting for Brexit, initially stating in **2018** that it would make Britain "more flexible" and open the country to the world. However, by **2021**, he noted that Brexit had made it significantly harder for British acts to tour and perform in Europe.

Career History and Retirement

McBrain’s political comments come following his official retirement from Iron Maiden, which he announced on **December 7, 2024**. His final performance with the legendary band took place at Allianz Parque in **São Paulo, Brazil**. He has since been replaced by Simon Dawson, a former session drummer and longtime bandmate of founding bassist Steve Harris in the group British Lion.

McBrain originally joined Iron Maiden in **December 1982**, replacing Clive Burr in time for the **1983** *Piece Of Mind* album and tour. He was lauded for bringing a level of technicality and dexterity to the band's sound that allowed Harris to explore more adventurous musical paths. He retired as the third longest-tenured member of the group, behind Harris and guitarist Dave Murray.

Looking ahead, McBrain is set to publish his autobiography, *Hello Boys And Girls!*, on **October 22, 2026**, through Harper Nonfiction. He will support the release with a spoken-word tour starting in Frankfurt on **October 26**, visiting theaters across Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Ireland, and the U.K. McBrain currently resides in Florida with his wife Rebecca, their cat Lola, and two Yorkshire Terriers named Tigerlily and Tinkerbell.