Arnold Schwarzenegger declared on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live that he remains a Republican.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Affirms Republican Party Ties
During the Wednesday, Nov. 11, broadcast, host Jimmy Kimmel asked the 79-year-old actor and former California governor if he still belonged to his longtime political party. “Yeah, I’m a Republican, absolutely,” Schwarzenegger said.
Appearing on the program to promote his new film The Man With the Bag, Schwarzenegger elaborated on his political identity while speaking with the host.
“A traditional Republican is someone that admires the Republican Party for having freed the slaves,” Schwarzenegger told Kimmel. When Kimmel interjected that the party does not receive credit for that history anymore, Schwarzenegger replied, “This is the history. This is what I’m about. Someone that has given those slaves American citizenship and given them the rights to vote.”
“This sounds like all the opposite things that the Republican Party stands for now though, doesn’t it?” Kimmel asked. Schwarzenegger responded, “Yeah, but it doesn’t mean I have to change my philosophy.”
Schwarzenegger Credits Reagan and Nixon with Environmental Regulation
Schwarzenegger explained that he operates by the “Ronald Reagan philosophy,” pointing to the establishment of the California Air Resources Board to regulate greenhouse gases and pollution, as he credited Reagan with the creation of the board.
I don’t really do endorsements. I’m not shy about sharing my views, but I hate politics and don’t trust most politicians. I also understand that people want to hear from me because I am not just a celebrity, I am a former Republican Governor. My time as Governor taught me to…
“That was done by Ronald Reagan, a Republican. Nixon created the EPA,” Schwarzenegger continued, referencing the Environmental Protection Agency created to protect the environment, water, and air.
“Those are the kind of Republicans that used to go and work together with the Democrats and got things done,” Schwarzenegger said.
When Kimmel quipped that he believed the guest was the only person left holding such views, Schwarzenegger pushed back against the notion. “No, I don’t think I’m the only one left,” he said, adding that people should not give up.
Schwarzenegger Criticizes Both Parties for Failing to Enact Reform
Reflecting on the recent midterm election results, Schwarzenegger described the outcome as a blue “tsunami” rather than a mere wave, noting that political control moves back and forth between the two parties over time.
Schwarzenegger criticized both parties for failing over the past 20 years to enact true immigration reform, reduce the national debt, or create a universal healthcare system. He argued that legislation pursued by a single party is “bogus” and urged politicians to work together as he did during his tenure as governor.
During the conversation, the former governor also touched upon his past interactions with Donald Trump. He recalled that when Trump ran for president for the first time in 2016, the two spoke several times because they shared a good relationship and were friends. Schwarzenegger said that Trump asked him to endorse and campaign for him, but he declined because they disagreed on specific topics, including climate change and pollution.