Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain has explained why he turned down an invitation to play golf with U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to The Telegraph.
McBrain was asked to join the outing by a friend who is a strong Trump supporter. The drummer discussed his reasons for declining the offer and shared his views on the president.
“I was actually invited to go and play golf with him,” McBrain said. “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 f*cking what?’… and I just said, no. No mate.”
McBrain went on to explain his position on Trump. “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.”
He concluded with a direct statement about his views. “My last word on Trump and his bunch of cronies is, they should be put in jail.”
McBrain’s comments came during an interview about his life and career. The Iron Maiden drummer has been outspoken on his political views in the past.
McBrain retired from touring in 2024 after playing his final show with Iron Maiden in December 2024 in São Paulo. Drummer Simon Dawson replaced him following his retirement from touring. McBrain remains a member of the band for studio projects and has since moved into other work.
McBrain’s autobiography, “Hello Boys And Girls!”, was published on October 22, 2026 via Harper Nonfiction. Following the book’s release, McBrain embarked on a spoken-word tour to promote it, starting in Frankfurt on October 26 and visiting theaters across Germany, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Ireland and the UK. The tour allowed him to discuss his life and experiences directly with fans.
McBrain is not the only Iron Maiden member to voice criticism of Trump’s administration. During a performance in Toronto earlier in 2026, the band’s vocalist Bruce Dickinson commented from the stage about crossing Lake Ontario and the Gulf of Mexico, calling it “a ridiculous state of the world,” with both bodies of water having been renamed Lake America and Gulf Of America respectively by Trump directives. The band members have shown they are willing to speak out on political matters when performing and in interviews.
McBrain suffered a stroke in January 2023 at his home in Boca Raton, which resulted in partial paralysis. He underwent physical rehabilitation at Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Despite this health challenge, McBrain participated in Iron Maiden’s Future Past World Tour, demonstrating his commitment to the band before his eventual retirement from touring.
