Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) says it is a "no brainer" for Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) to run for president in the future.
The movie star and former California politician was asked about the Golden State's current governor and if he should make a run for the White House in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter.
HOW BIDEN HAS STRUGGLED TO KEEP DEMOCRATS TOGETHER ON ENVIRONMENTAL PUSH
"I think [Newsom running for president] is a no-brainer. Every governor from a big state wants to take that shot," Schwarzenegger said.
Newsom has said he will not run for president in 2024, endorsing President Joe Biden for a second term, but he has launched an organization, the Campaign for Democracy, to combat Republican leaders in other states by targeting their policies. That move and others by the California governor have led to speculation that he may run for the White House in the future.
When asked about Newsom's job performance, Schwarzenegger, who is the most recent Republican to be the governor of California, said he would "do things differently" but that he does not wish to criticize him because it is "impossible to please everybody."
"When you become part of the club, you don’t criticize governors — because you know how tough the job is. It’s impossible to please everybody. Before I ran for governor, I had an 80% approval rating. As soon as I announced, I had a 43% approval rating. Immediately, half of the people said, 'F*** him! I’m not going to see his movies anymore.' I would run things differently [than Newsom], but I’m a Republican, so of course I would. I don’t criticize him for not doing it my way," Schwarzenegger told the outlet.
Schwarzenegger was also asked about Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who is widely expected to announce a bid for the White House in the coming weeks. The California Republican said DeSantis is "just not my style" but also said that does not mean he thinks "he’s terrible."
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
"I was against some of the stuff he did with COVID. But who am I to judge? That’s for the people of Florida. My style is different; his is too conservative for me. That doesn’t mean I think he’s terrible. He’s just not my style," Schwarzenegger said about DeSantis.
Schwarzenegger was vocal in supporting COVID-19 precautions, including masks and vaccinations, saying "screw your freedom" at one point during the pandemic regarding people who disregarded safety measures.