Arnold Schwarzenegger has said he could “clearly” see himself winning a US presidential election – if only he were able to run.
The Austrian-born action star is not eligible to be president because he is not a “natural-born citizen of the US”. Schwarzenegger immigrated to the US in 1968 and became a US citizen in 1983.
Schwarzenegger, who served two terms as governor of Califronia, opened up about his political ambitions in a new interview on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?.
In a clip, exclusively shared with People magazine, the 75-year-old was asked: “The constitution says that the president has to be a natural born US citizen. If not for that, would you have run for president?”
Schwarzenegger responded: “Well, yes of course. I mean, I think the field was wide open in 2016. And I think the field is open right now. I mean, think about it right now. I mean, who is there? There is really not a person that can bring everyone together.
“Who is here today that people say okay, he’s not too old or he’s not too this or too that, or is that because it’s now a question about who do you vote against than who do you vote for.”
Host Chris Wallace asked the actor whether he would run for president in 2024 if possible, to which he responded: “Absolutely. Put me in because it’s… look – it’s a no-brainer. I see so clearly how I could win that election.”
The Terminator star won the gubernatorial race in California in 2003 and 2006. He served as the 38th governor of California from 2003 to 2011.
He said: “I mean, it’s like me and California. And when that was, you know, running for governor, it was clear that people are looking for some new answer, not a right wing or left wing, but someone that can bring the nation together.
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“There’s just so many things that need to be done. And can be done. And what makes it so wonderful is because it’s doable. It’s all doable, or at least it’s just people coming together and say yes, we can do it.”
In 2021, Schwarzanegger called Donald Trump “the worst president ever”.
Schwarzanegger’s episode of Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? will be available to watch on Friday (16 June) on Max and CNN.
In his recently released Netflix documentary Arnold, the actor claimed that he almost changed Terminator’s most famous line, “I’ll be back.”
