Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Enduring Critique of Donald Trump: From Reality TV Feud to Political Reckoning

In the annals of American celebrity-politics crossovers, few rivalries have been as public and peculiar as that between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Donald J. Trump. What began as a seemingly lighthearted spat over television ratings has evolved into a deeper ideological divide, with Schwarzenegger, the Austrian-born bodybuilder turned Hollywood icon and former Republican governor of California, emerging as one of Trump’s most prominent intraparty critics.

The feud traces its roots to 2017, when Schwarzenegger succeeded Trump as host of “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Trump, who retained an executive producer credit, repeatedly mocked the show’s declining viewership. At the National Prayer Breakfast that February—a traditionally solemn, bipartisan gathering—Trump deviated from themes of faith and unity to lament the ratings drop. “They hired a big, big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place,” he told the audience, adding with a chuckle, “And we know how that turned out. The ratings went right down the tubes.” He then quipped, “I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those ratings.”

Schwarzenegger responded swiftly and sharply on social media, proposing a job swap: “Why don’t we switch jobs? You take over TV, because you’re such an expert in ratings, and I take over your job, and then people can finally sleep comfortably again.” The exchange, laced with sarcasm, highlighted the personal animus that would persist.

Over the years, Schwarzenegger’s criticisms grew more substantive. In 2018, amid the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy that separated migrant families at the border, Schwarzenegger condemned the practice of detaining children. “As an immigrant, I know the magnetic power of America’s greatness,” he wrote on social media. “As a former border governor, I know the importance of securing our border and fixing our absurdly broken immigration system. As an American, I know that kids shouldn’t be pawns.” He suggested politicians, not children, should be “in cages” until comprehensive reform was achieved.

The rift deepened profoundly after the January 6, 2021, storming of the Capitol. In a widely viewed seven-minute video, Schwarzenegger drew parallels to Kristallnacht, the 1938 Nazi pogrom in Germany. Holding the sword from his film “Conan the Barbarian” as a metaphor for democracy’s resilience, he declared: “President Trump sought to overturn the results of a fair election. He sought a coup by misleading people with lies. President Trump is a failed leader. He will go down in history as the worst president ever.” Drawing from his own childhood in postwar Austria—where his father had been influenced by Nazi ideology—Schwarzenegger warned of the dangers of lies and demagoguery. The video garnered tens of millions of views, amplifying a Republican voice against Trump’s election denialism.

Schwarzenegger’s break with Trump extended to the 2024 election. Though he expressed disdain for both major parties—“My Republicans have forgotten the beauty of the free market… Democrats aren’t any better at dealing with deficits”—he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz. “A candidate who won’t respect your vote unless it is for him… is as un-American as it gets,” he wrote, decrying Trump’s rhetoric and refusal to accept electoral outcomes. “We need to close the door on this chapter.”

More recently, in appearances promoting his Netflix series “Fubar,” Schwarzenegger has addressed immigration anew amid the second Trump administration’s enforcement actions. On “The View” in June 2025, he emphasized legal pathways while urging immigrants to “do things legal” and “behave like a guest,” advocating volunteerism and community contribution. He blamed stalled reform on politicians from both parties, calling them “political hacks rather than public servants.” When pressed on protests in Los Angeles over ICE operations, he reiterated pride in America’s immigrant history but stressed personal responsibility.

This stance—nuanced, centrist, and rooted in his own journey from Graz, Austria, to American citizenship in 1983—underscores Schwarzenegger’s evolution. Once a Reagan Republican who championed fiscal conservatism and environmental initiatives as governor from 2003 to 2011, he has increasingly positioned himself as a defender of democratic norms over partisan loyalty. “I will always be an American before I am a Republican,” he has said.

As Trump navigates his second term, Schwarzenegger’s voice remains a reminder of the GOP’s fractured identity. Their rivalry, born of ego and ratings, has become emblematic of broader debates over leadership, immigration, and truth in American politics. In an era of polarization, Schwarzenegger offers a rare blend of celebrity gravitas and principled dissent—one that continues to resonate across party lines.