Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his support for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in next week’s election, breaking from his Republican roots to endorse Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz.
In a detailed post on X, Schwarzenegger, 77, expressed his reluctance toward political endorsements, stating that he “hates politics” and rarely trusts politicians. Yet, he felt compelled to speak out. “I will always be an American before I am a Republican,” he wrote. “This week, I am voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz because I believe many of you feel as I do. Our country feels unrecognizable, and you’re right to be angry.”
Reflecting on his tenure as governor, Schwarzenegger voiced frustration over decades of unfulfilled promises from U.S. leaders on issues like the national debt and immigration reform. He criticized politicians who use “talking points” instead of taking real action, saying that these empty promises benefit campaigns but do little for Americans.
Schwarzenegger then turned his attention to Trump, asserting that “a candidate who won’t respect your vote unless it’s for him, who encourages followers to storm the Capitol, and who passes policies that favor wealthy donors over everyday citizens cannot solve our problems.” He added that Trump’s focus on demonizing political opponents, rather than addressing foreign adversaries, has only deepened divisions.
A longtime critic of Trump, Schwarzenegger previously condemned the January 6th Capitol riot, likening it to Kristallnacht and calling Trump “a failed leader” and “the worst president in history.” Recalling that moment, he said rejecting election results is profoundly “un-American” and that, as someone who believes in America’s role as a “shining city on a hill,” Trump’s rhetoric is “unpatriotic.”
Schwarzenegger warned that re-electing Trump would lead to “four more years of chaos, division, and hatred,” urging the country to “close the door on this chapter of American history.” Despite disagreements with some elements of the Democratic platform, he concluded, “I want to move forward as a country, and the only way to do that is with Harris and Walz.”