Josh Brolin Knows Trump as a ‘Different Guy’ Having ‘Been a Friend’ of His Before Presidency: ‘No Greater Genius Than Him in Marketing’

Josh Brolin remembers Donald Trump before he was elected president of the United States.

During a recent interview with The Independent, Brolin said he understands Trump in a different light, having “been a friend” of his before he was president. This understanding makes Brolin confident that Trump won’t try to serve a third term, a possibility that circulates in some political spheres and is occasionally elevated by Trump himself.

“I’m not scared of Trump, because even though he says he’s staying forever, it’s just not going to happen,” Brolin said. “And if it does, then I’ll deal with that moment. But having been a friend of Trump before he was president, I know a different guy.”

The “No Country for Old Men” star met Trump around the production of “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” Oliver Stone’s 2010 financial drama. Trump was set to appear in the film but was ultimately cut out.

Brolin later said he found Trump’s past entrepreneurial interests “interesting,” noting his move to build major developments “in the middle of a cesspool city during the late ’70s.” However, watching him now as president, he sees his authority as “power unmitigated.”

Brolin still had some praise for Trump, adding, “There is no greater genius than him in marketing – he takes the weakness of the general population and fills it. And that’s why I think a lot of people feel that they have a mascot in him. I think it’s much less about Trump than it is about the general population and their need for validation.”