Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain rejected Trump’s golf invite — his 3-word response says it all

Golf is often seen as something that brings people together.

But when Donald Trump invited one of heavy metal’s most legendary drummers to join him on the golf course, he got a very different kind of response.Nicko McBrain, the longtime drummer for Iron Maiden, has revealed that he was once invited to join Trump for a round of golf in Florida.

McBrain, however, turned down the opportunity — and judging by the story he later told, his reaction was anything but subtle.

The 74-year-old musician, who has lived in Florida for years, discussed the unexpected invitation in a recent interview with The Telegraph while talking about his political views and his upcoming autobiography.

Michael “Nicko” McBrain, English musician and drummer of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. (Photo by Richard Ecclestone/Redferns)
According to McBrain, the golf invitation came through a friend who is a strong supporter of the Republican Party.

The friend apparently asked whether McBrain wanted to come along and play golf with Trump. McBrain said he was caught completely off guard.

“‘Oh, do you want to come and play golf with us? With the president?’” the friend asked.

McBrain’s response was immediate.

“And I said, ‘You fucking what?’… and I just said, ‘No.’ No mate.”

Strong words about Pete Hegseth also
For McBrain, the decision wasn’t simply about turning down a celebrity golf outing.

He has made it clear that he strongly disagrees with Trump politically and has little patience for the culture surrounding the former reality television star and current president.

McBrain has described himself as someone who isn’t particularly interested in politics, but he acknowledged that his feelings about Trump have made it difficult for him to stay completely neutral.

“I’m not politically inclined, although I must be because I have my thoughts about him,” McBrain said.

He went on to criticize what he described as Trump’s narcissism and referenced several controversies that have surrounded the president and his administration.

McBrain also brought up the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein files, as well as Trump’s foreign policy and the war in Iran.

His criticism didn’t stop with Trump.

McBrain also expressed strong views about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying he believed Hegseth would eventually face prison.

He then summed up his feelings about the administration in particularly blunt terms.

“My last word on Trump and his bunch of cronies is, they should be put in jail,” McBrain said.

Suffered a stroke in 2023
Away from music, McBrain is also a big fan of snooker and has attended the World Snooker Championship at Sheffield’s famous Crucible Theatre.

He’s also an avid golfer, often playing with fellow Iron Maiden member Dave Murray. Over the years, he’s even become friends with Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik, whom he met while playing at Ullna Golf Club in Sweden.

The comments come as McBrain prepares to release his autobiography, Hello Boys and Girls!, a deeply personal look back at his life, career and decades behind the drum kit with Iron Maiden.

In 2024, McBrain announced that he was stepping away from touring with Iron Maiden following his final performance with the band. He had previously suffered a stroke in 2023, though he continued performing after his recovery and remained involved with the band in other ways.