Schwarzenegger Urges Parties to Work Together
The former California governor says lasting results have come only when Democrats and Republicans cooperate, not when one party acts alone.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Political Parties
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In an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live promoting the film The Man With the Bag, Arnold Schwarzenegger called on Democrats and Republicans to work together. He said that one party acting alone is bogus and that parties must cooperate to accomplish something.
Why it matters
Schwarzenegger argued that immigration reform, debt reduction and a universal health care system have not been enacted over the last 20 years despite alternating party majorities. His remarks frame bipartisan cooperation as the condition for resolving long-running national policy problems.
The remarks cite a 20-year span in which major reforms on immigration, debt and health care were not enacted despite shifting party control. No specific legislation or vote counts were referenced in the interview.
The players
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Former Republican governor of California and actor who has become a prominent commentator on bipartisan policy and environmental issues.
Donald Trump
President of the United States, whose 2016 campaign Schwarzenegger declined to endorse over disagreements on climate change and pollution.
The details
Schwarzenegger said he is a Republican but noted that the Reagan administration created the California Air Resources Board and that Richard Nixon created the EPA, citing both as bipartisan-era achievements. He also said he did not endorse Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and that the two disagreed on climate change and pollution.
Timeline
1865: Schwarzenegger cited the Republican Party's history of freeing the slaves.
Last 20 years: Period in which he says immigration, debt and health care reforms were not enacted.
2016: Trump asked Schwarzenegger for support in his presidential run, which he did not endorse.
November 12, 2026: Interview published following a recent Democratic electoral gain.
Political Context
Schwarzenegger's appeal to Nixon's creation of the EPA and Reagan's creation of the California Air Resources Board offers a Republican-era precedent for environmental policy that contrasts with his disagreements with Trump on climate. His call for cooperation runs against the one-party governance pattern he describes over the last two decades.
The remarks signal that immigration, debt and health care reform remain unresolved after 20 years of shifting majorities, which keeps those issues on the table for future voters. Readers can track whether either party moves on these items in the next session.
The takeaway
Schwarzenegger's core claim is that lasting national results depend on cooperation rather than one party governing alone. Watching which bipartisan efforts emerge on immigration, debt and health care will show whether his argument gains traction.
Further reading
For more on how the two major parties have shaped national policy, see Political Parties.
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