Arnold Schwarzenegger, former California governor and well-known “Terminator” star, has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, urging Americans to move past the division he associates with Donald Trump. Despite his own Republican affiliation, the 77-year-old said he was compelled to take a stand after recent comments from Trump, who he says described the United States as a “trash can for the world.” Schwarzenegger described the statement as deeply unpatriotic, adding that it infuriated him.
Schwarzenegger shared his support in a social media post on X, highlighting his personal commitment to unity and America’s global image. “I will always be an American before I am a Republican. That’s why, this week, I am voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” he wrote, referencing the Democratic ticket.
He joins a growing list of former Republican officials, including ex-vice president Dick Cheney, who have endorsed the Democratic candidate in opposition to Trump. Schwarzenegger, who governed California from 2003 to 2011, has been vocal about his bipartisan approach, supporting small businesses, environmental issues, and immigration reform. His strong stance against Trump is not new; he publicly condemned the former president after the January 6 Capitol assault, likening it to Austria’s Kristallnacht, a tragic moment of Nazi-led violence that left lasting scars in his native country.
Though Schwarzenegger voiced frustration with both political parties—citing Republicans’ rejection of free-market values and deficits and Democrats’ handling of city policies—he stressed that another Trump term would bring “four more years of anger, division, and hatred.”
With the November 5 election looming, Schwarzenegger’s message appeals for an America driven by unity and progress over partisanship, resonating with voters on both sides who are tired of ongoing political divisions.
