These days, I don’t often find myself agreeing with Arnold Schwarzenegger, but credit where it’s due — he nailed it on “The View.” Joy Behar tried to corner him into bashing Donald Trump’s immigration policies, but it backfired spectacularly. Instead of playing along, Schwarzenegger pushed back in a way that left her flat-footed. It was a textbook example of how these left-wing hosts keep walking into their own traps, blinded by their obsession with landing a cheap shot.
The former California governor and Austrian immigrant was not going to play along with Behar's obvious setup when she asked him if he had "a visceral reaction to what they're doing, what ICE is doing when you see the videos of it." Instead of delivering the anti-Trump soundbite that Behar was obviously fishing for, Schwarzenegger launched into a passionate defense of legal immigration and America as the land of opportunity.
"I'm so proud and happy that I was embraced by the American people like that," Schwarzenegger responded, completely redirecting the conversation. "I mean, imagine. I came over here at the age of 21. With absolutely nothing. And then to create a career like that. I mean, in no other country in the world could you do that."
The Governator didn't stop there, delivering what amounted to a love letter to America that must have made Behar squirm in her seat. Every achievement in his life, from bodybuilding to acting to becoming governor, happened "because of America," he explained. This led him to declare that "this is the greatest country in the world and this is the land of opportunity."
Despite the cohosts tossing out the usual polite nods and empty affirmations during his response, you could practically see the steam coming out of Behar’s ears. She was fuming that Schwarzenegger didn’t respond with an anti-Trump soundbite.
Schwarzenegger continued to praise America and legal immigration. He even mentioned being chosen to give the keynote speech at Mount Vernon for America's 250th anniversary celebration, where new citizens will be sworn in — exactly the kind of patriotic imagery that doesn't align with the preferred narrative of “The View.”
But then came the moment that probably had Behar regretting her question entirely. After celebrating America's history with immigrants, Schwarzenegger pivoted to the crucial distinction that liberals hate to acknowledge: the difference between legal and illegal immigration.
"But the key thing also is at the same time that we got to do things legal. That is the important thing, you know?" he said, cutting straight to the heart of the immigration debate that Democrats prefer to obscure with emotional appeals.
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Schwarzenegger didn't mince words about illegal immigrants either: "So you gotta do things legal, and those people that are doing illegal things in America and they're the foreigners, they are not smart."
He then delivered a master class in conservative immigration philosophy, explaining that immigrants are guests in America who must "behave like a guest." He compared it to visiting someone's house, where you keep things clean and do the right thing, "rather than committing a crime or being abusive or something like that."
This wasn't the anti-enforcement rant Behar was hoping for. Instead, she got a lecture on personal responsibility and giving back to America, concepts that don't exactly align with the victim narrative The View typically promotes. In fact, at one point, Sonny Hostin put her hand on his arm like she was trying to interject — probably to shut him up for not pushing the right narrative.
Schwarzenegger concluded by emphasizing that immigrants have "a responsibility as an immigrant to give back to America and to pay back to America" through community service and making the country "a better place."
It's safe to say that this wasn't the direction Behar expected the conversation to go when she teed up her ICE question. Instead of getting ammunition against Trump's immigration policies, she received a thoughtful defense of legal immigration, American exceptionalism, and immigrant responsibility — all wrapped up in Schwarzenegger's authentic personal story.
Schwarzenegger showed us the power of an authentic voice. PJ Media VIP membership offers exclusive content and a community where vital discussions about American values and legal immigration thrive. Don't wait—support our mission for truth. Use code FIGHT for 60% off. Join today!