Kiss’ Gene Simmons has urged musicians, actors and artists in creative fields to “shut up” about politics.

Simmons, who along with his bandmates in Kiss at the Trump Kennedy Centre Honors in December and was photographed alongside Donald Trump ahead of the ceremony, made the comments in a new interview.

Upon being asked by TMZ about recent comments from high-profile figures condemning the Trump administration, Simmons sarcastically replied, “Yeah, because everyone in the world should listen to what actors and comedians say because they are so qualified.”

He added, “Basically, shut the fuck up. Do your art and shut up. Nobody is interested in your opinions, that includes me, who I vote for, and who I like. Who do you think you are?”

Simmons’ rant continued, “People in America work hard for a living, and they don’t want to be lectured to by people who live in mansions and drive Rolls-Royces. It’s time for everyone in the entertainment industry to shut their pie-hole and just do your art, nobody cares what you think – I don’t.”

He then namechecked Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo, who has been one of the most vocal critics of the Trump administration and ICE, as well as a supporter of the Palestinian people.

Notably, Simmons has made statements in the political field before.

In 2022, Simmons called for bands to stop performing in Russia following the illegal invasion of Ukraine, telling TMZ, “The only possible upside might be if a band gets up there and makes political statements on stage, which is usually something I’m against but this is beyond politics. This is just lunacy.”

Additionally, during that same year, Simmons spoke out against Trump during an interview with Spin, stating of his first term in office, “Look what that gentleman did to this country and the polarization – got all the cockroaches to rise to the top. Once upon a time, you were embarrassed to be publicly racist and out there with conspiracy theories. Now it’s all out in the open because he allowed it.”

He also said, “I don’t think he’s a Republican or a Democrat. He’s out for himself, any way you can get there. And in the last election, over 70 million people bought it hook, line and sinker.”