Josh Brolin has candidly shared insights into his past relationship with the current U.S. president, Donald Trump.

In an interview with The Independent, published on Saturday, November 29, the star of The Goonies expressed his lack of fear regarding Trump’s leadership. “I’m not scared of Trump, because even though he claims he’s planning to stay in office indefinitely, that’s simply not going to happen,” Brolin remarked, alluding to Trump’s controversial statements about potentially seeking a third term, despite constitutional restrictions.

Brolin further commented on Trump’s declarations, saying, “And if it does happen, then I’ll deal with it at that time. But knowing Trump before his presidency, I remember a different person.”

The actor’s acquaintance with Trump dates back to before Trump’s political ambitions took shape. They first crossed paths during the production of Oliver Stone’s 2010 film, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, where Brolin met the former real estate mogul.

“There’s no greater genius in marketing than Trump,” Brolin observed. “He taps into the vulnerabilities of the general population and capitalizes on them. That’s why many people see him as their mascot. I believe it’s more about the public’s desire for validation than it is about Trump himself.”

Josh Brolin is weighing in on whether or not he thinks a Goonies sequel is a good idea 40 years after the film’s original release. Brolin, 57, admitted that he had some “trepidation” about a second movie while speaking with Entertainment Tonight on July 31. “I hope it does [happen] because the experience was so […]

Despite a third term being prohibited courtesy of the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, Trump has on many occasions claimed he is contemplating or considering another presidential bid. Earlier this year, the president told NBC news that “a lot of people want me to” run for a third term. In October, he said he would “love” to launch another presidential election, though he later clarified that it’s “pretty clear” that he is “not allowed to run.”

“It’s been a great run,” current speaker of the House Mike Johnson told reporters when asked if he supported the president running for an unconstitutional third term. “But I think the president knows, and he and I have talked about, the constrictions of the Constitution, as much as so many of the American people lament that.”

The president has even showcased “Trump 2028” hats inside the White House, including the Oval Office.

Despite publicly speaking out against the current president, Brolin insists that his new Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery character — a charismatic and corrupt priest named Monsignor Wicks who creates a cult-like following via his hateful rhetoric — is not based on Trump.

The chemistry on the set of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery was certainly memorable for cast member Josh Brolin. While attending the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, September 6, the star-studded cast reflected on filming the third movie of the Knives Out franchise. “Well, when I got the phone call, […]

“I could make something up and say it was rooted in a kind of Trumpian greed,” Brolin admitted to the outlet, before insisting that his character isn’t based on the president while acknowledging that “Wicks garners a sense of power, then there are no boundaries.”

“It’s genius,” Brolin added of the film itself. “It took me to a few different places that I really didn’t anticipate, and I love that. It’s a great labyrinth.”

Of course, Brolin is far from the first famous person to have been — and in many instances remained — friends with the present. As a former reality TV host and beauty pageant owner, Trump rubbed shoulders with some of Hollywood’s most well-known actors and personalities prior to ascending to the highest office in the land, including Oprah, Anna Wintour, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Martha Stewart.