Action icon and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said during his Wednesday appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” that he is “absolutely” still an outspoken member of the Republican Party.
“Yes, I’m absolutely a Republican,” he said. “A traditional Republican is someone who admires the Republican Party for freeing the slaves.”
Jimmy Kimmel pointed out that Republicans “don’t get credit for this anymore,” and Schwarzenegger responded, “That’s history. That’s what I’m talking about. Someone who gave these slaves American citizenship and gave them the right to vote.”
Kimmel then joked, “It sounds like all the opposing things the Republican Party stands for right now, right?” Schwarzenegger held his ground, telling the late-night host, “Yes, but that doesn’t mean I have to change my philosophy.”
Schwarzenegger went on to explain that his Republican policies follow the “philosophy of Ronald Reagan.” He pointed out that historically, some Republicans have fought for causes now associated with the left. He used Ronald Reagan’s creation of the California Air Resources Board as an example.
“It was done by Ronald Reagan, a Republican. Nixon created the EPA,” Schwarzenegger said. “He created the Environmental Protection Agency to protect our environment, water and air.”
Schwarzenegger then introduced himself as someone who aligned himself with “the kind of Republicans who were going to work with the Democrats and get things done.” Noting the Democrats’ massive victory in the midterms, Schwarzenegger added that the blue “tsunami” shows how, two years into Donald Trump’s second term, the political landscape is naturally balancing out.
“Ultimately, we just saw what some call the blue wave,” he said. “Well, I call it a tidal wave or a tsunami. It’s not really a wave anymore… Now the Democrats go in there and they have the majority. And then later the Republicans are going to go in there and have the majority. That’s the way it goes, back and forth, back and forth.”
Watch Schwarzenegger’s full meeting with Kimmel below.
Gn entert
