Josh Brolin Reflects on Trump ‘A Marketing Genius’ and ‘Different Before Politics’

In a rare moment of candor from Hollywood, actor Josh Brolin best known for roles in No Country for Old Men, Avengers, and Sicario described President Donald Trump as a “marketing genius” and acknowledged that the man he knew before politics was far more complex than the media portrayal.

“There is no greater genius than him in marketing,” Brolin told The Independent. “He takes the weakness of the general population and fills it.”

The Oscar-nominated actor, who once publicly criticized Trump during the 2020 election, now admits that Trump’s ability to tap into the American psyche has been nothing short of brilliant. Brolin even suggested that Trump has become something of a symbol for those who feel ignored by the political class.

“That’s why I think a lot of people feel they have a mascot in him,” Brolin added. “It’s much less about Trump than it is about the general population and their need for validation.”

It’s a far cry from the lockstep leftism we’ve come to expect from Hollywood celebrities, most of whom are quick to parrot the DNC’s latest talking points. But Brolin’s remarks suggest that even inside the entertainment industry bubble, there’s an emerging recognition of Trump’s unique influence and effectiveness.

Brolin explained that he met Trump after starring in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, and admired how Trump had built a real estate empire in a decaying New York City during the 1970s.

“I know a different guy,” he said, referring to Trump before he became president. “Now it’s power unmitigated, it’s unregulated.”

That final note is classic Hollywood hedging but the truth is undeniable: Brolin acknowledged the real Trump the builder, the brander, the businessman the one mainstream America embraced long before politics corrupted the conversation.

Interestingly, Brolin also made clear that his character in the upcoming Knives Out sequel, Wake Up Dead Man, was not based on Trump, even though the film centers on a power-hungry priest. But the actor couldn’t resist adding a wink to the press:

“I could make something up and say it was rooted in a kind of Trumpian greed,” he joked. “Wicks garners a sense of power, then there are no boundaries.”

Still, it’s telling that even while couching his words in typical Hollywood language, Brolin doesn’t deny Trump’s extraordinary impact especially on culture and communication. And that may be the biggest reveal of all: for all their scorn, even Hollywood elites can’t ignore what Trump has built.

He didn’t just build buildings. He built a movement and he did it without scripts, without handlers, and without permission.

As the 2024 election approaches and Trump continues leading in poll after poll, comments like Brolin’s unexpected, unfiltered, and honest underscore why millions still back the man the media tried to destroy.

They don’t just see a politician. They see someone who speaks their language.

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