Gene Simmons' Wife says KISS Declined Trump Inauguration Invite

Gene Simmons and KISS turned down Donald Trump's invite to perform on Inauguration Day ... so says Gene's famous wife.

Poor Gene couldn't get a word in edgewise Wednesday night as he, wife Shannon Tweed and daughter Sophie left Catch in WeHo.

It's pretty clear ... Gene has warm feelings for Trump but there's a hard family divide, because Shannon and Sophie go nuts just hearing the Prez-elect's name.

Now, here's the mystery. Gene says KISS will be touring in Europe next month, so if the band did decline the invite it could have simply been a matter of scheduling. But Shannon is selling a different story.