The iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger is the true testament to the great American dream. After immigrating to the United States in 1968, the Austrian set on his voyage toward becoming the dominant force in the fitness industry. After he etched his name in the weighty tome of bodybuilding, the Terminator went on to make a haven in the hearts of millions through his acting flair. Nonetheless, after making it to the crest of the cinematic universe, the 7x Mr. Olympia set foot in the political realm and once again soared to great heights.

Though his fandom is well-versed in his unquantifiable passion for building muscles and performing action sequences, many are still oblivious to his journey of becoming a great political leader. Let’s take a forefront view of the Terminator’s vocation in politics.

How did Arnold Schwarzenegger find his way into politics?

The Austrian’s interest in politics was first got piqued in his teenage years when he served as a member of the youth weightlifting team of the Austrian People’s Party. However, after immigrating to the States, the Terminator embarked on his journey to become a household name in the world of bodybuilding, then he topped the box-office records, all while giving pause to his interest in politics. Then in the year 1985, Schwarzenegger collaborated with the Reagan administration to raise awareness about the anti-drug movement through a music video, Stop the Madness. From that point on, his fascination with politics re-sparked. 

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In the 1988 presidential elections, he accompanied then Vice-President George H. W. Bush at a campaign rally and for the first time; he made his public appearance as a Republican. Two years later, Schwarzenegger bagged his first political appointment as a chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, which he served from 1990 to 1993. A decade later, Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his candidacy in the 2003 California recall election for the Governor of California.

Schwarzenegger’s first term as the Governor of California

On October 7, 2003, the Austrian was elected as the 38th Governor of California after defeating the Democratic governor Gray Davis in the California gubernatorial recall elections. He started his first term in office on November 17, 2003. In his first year as the governor, he supported LGBTQ rights by granting same-sex marriage licenses at the behest of mayor Gavin Newsom. 

In the following years of his term, he addressed the issue of Global warming by signing the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and negotiating the creation of a carbon emission trading market with British Prime minister Tony Blair. Besides this, he worked to repeal the increase in vehicle registration fees and helped the system form new laws regarding the prevention of license allotment to illegal immigrants. At the end of 2006, the Terminator asked the federal government to give him a deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. With this, the 7x Mr. Olympia wrapped up his first term on January 3, 2007.

His second term as the California Governor

The bodybuilding prodigy trounced the Democratic state treasurer Phil Angelides in the 2006 elections and was elected as the Governor of California for the second time. He began his second term in the office on January 5, 2007. This time, Schwarzenegger pledged to be a centrist politician and cooperate with the Democrats to resolve political issues and establish harmony in the state of California.

In the first year of his second term, the Terminator proposed universal health insurance in the state and worked diligently on resolving a series of environmental issues. He presented a balanced budget amendment to the state constitution in 2008, passing deep cuts in the budget in 2009, and voiced his support for marijuana legalization. With this, Schwarzenegger concluded his second term as the governor of California on January 3, 2011.

Some major controversies Arnold Schwarzenegger faced during his political career

During his time in office as the Governor, the bodybuilder had been the subject of many controversies and speculations. In 2003, a few days before the election results came out, many women came forward to implicate that the Austrian had groped them and was involved in many other misconducts. Following this, Schwarzenegger issued a blanket apology and stated, “I have done things that were not right which I thought then was playful”. He further added, “I now recognize that I have offended people. And to those people I have offended, I want to say to them, I am deeply sorry”. Interestingly, following the elections, he also took various measures to understand the legal perspectives of harassment and framed a new set of rules for women’s safety and empowerment.

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In 2010, months before the Terminator’s serving period as the governor came to an end, many speculated that Schwarzenegger might run for the United States Senate. However, those rumors turned out to be false, after the Austrian’s second term ended in 2011.

Schwarzenegger did not take any salary as Governor

Before setting foot in the political world, Schwarzenegger was already enjoying the opulence that he made from his acting career. More so, he is deemed one of the richest actors in the world with a net worth of $450 million. During his time as a governor, the bodybuilder could have earned  $187,000 per year, up to $206,500 for his social work. However, he denied his salary and used it for noble causes.

In his prime years in politics, he worked on issues such as greenhouse gases, global warming, and minimum wages. For those concerning subjects, he donated the hefty salary that was presented to him during his time as the governor. More so, he still continues his noble pursuit of resolving social issues. In 2020, the Terminator donated $1 million in the wake of the global pandemic.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bold statements regarding former President Donald Trump

The former U.S. President Donald Trump and the former governor of California shared a close-knit friendship before the rivalry got sparked between the two. In 2016, Schwarzenegger refused to help Trump with his presidential elections, even though they both hail from the Republican party and shared common political grounds. Since then, their feud took an incessant flight. Explaining his reasons for not helping Trump with his campaign, Schwarzenegger stated, “I didn’t accept his money because he was with the gaming industry, and we didn’t accept any gaming money”. He further elaborated that he did not endorse Trump “with his campaign because of his environmental stands”.

Schwarzenegger’s current status in the world of politics and whether he will return to the field again

After finishing his second term in 2011, Schwarzenegger didn’t come back for the third candidacy due to the term limit. However, though he never served in the office again, he once conceded that he’ll never leave the Republican Party. “I am proud to be a member of the party of Abraham Lincoln. I am proud to be a member of the party of Ronald Reagan”, stated Schwarzenegger. Nonetheless, the Austrian returned to his favorite endeavor in 2012 with the film franchise, The Expendables. From then, he once again kick-started his journey as an actor. Now, with several projects that he has in tow, the Terminator is not likely to come back to the political arena. However, he continues to voice his perspectives on several political agendas through his social media handles. As of now, the Austrian has girded up his lions to give his fandom a blockbuster performance through his upcoming Netflix project FUBAR.

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