Former California governor and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger arrives for a ceremony to receive a honorary doctorate by the Hertie School, a university of governance, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.
Markus Schreiber/AP
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Markus Schreiber/AP
Former Republican governor and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger has endorsed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris for president.
In a lengthy Wednesday post on X, Schwarzenegger said he does not typically give endorsements, as he doesn’t “trust most politicians,” but he understands his own influence.
He described former President Trump as “a candidate who won’t respect your vote unless it is for him, a candidate who will send his followers to storm the Capitol while he watches with a Diet Coke, a candidate who has shown no ability to work to pass any policy besides a tax cut that helped his donors and other rich people like me but helped no one else else [sic], a candidate who thinks Americans who disagree with him are the bigger enemies than China, Russia, or North Korea.”
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…
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) October 30, 2024
Schwarzenegger said he is frustrated with both parties’ inaction, especially on issues such as immigration reform and national debt.
“It is a just game to them,” he said.
He additionally highlighted some of his accomplishments during his time as California’s governor from 2003 to 2011, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving the state’s infrastructure and lowering the unemployment rate.
“That’s policy,” he said. “It requires working with the other side, not insulting them to win your next election, and I know it isn’t sexy to most people, but I love it when I can help make people’s lives better with policies.”
He concluded by saying, “That’s enough reason for me to share my vote with all of you. I want to move forward as a country, and even though I have plenty of disagreements with their platform, I think the only way to do that is with Harris and [her running mate] Walz.”