Arnold Schwarzenegger is concerned that democracy in the United States could disappear with a widening political divide exacerbated by the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah last week.
Arnold Schwarzenegger fears that democracy could disappear in the United States.
The Terminator actor – who served as Governor of California between 2003 and 2011 – is worried that the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah last week points towards a grim future for the country as the political divide between the Republican and Democratic parties continues to widen.
Speaking at the University of Southern California, Arnie said: “We have to be very careful that we don’t get closer to the cliff. Because when you fall down that cliff, down there, there is no democracy.
“We have to be very, very careful. I think it’s very important that we turn this around and that we show people power. Because the people can turn this around, the people have the ultimate power.”
Schwarzenegger – a critic of US President Donald Trump – has implored Americans to “make a difference” by taking up their right to vote.
Meanwhile, Arnie added that it is “unbelievable” that Kirk was murdered for having a “different opinion” to others.
The 78-year-old star said: “I was very, very upset that someone’s life has was taken because they have a different opinion. It’s just unbelievable.
“This was a great communicator, a great advocate for the right – for Republican causes. He had such a great way of communicating with the students that agreed or disagreed with him.”
He added of Kirk: “It’s a human being. A human life is gone.
“And he was a great father, a great husband. I was thinking about his children. They will only be reading about him now, instead of him reading to them bedtime stories.”
The suspect in Kirk’s shooting, Tyler Robinson, was charged with aggravated murder on Tuesday (16.09.25) and Schwarzenegger feels that the divisions that exist in society are to blame for the political violence.
The Total Recall actor said: “We have to acknowledge that the cause of all this is the social media companies that are dividing us, the mainstream media companies that are dividing us.
“The political parties: the Democrats that are dividing us, the Republicans that are dividing us. We’re getting hit from so many different angles, and we have to be very careful that we don’t get closer to that cliff.”
However, Trump suggested earlier this week that he “couldn’t care less” about healing political rifts as he took aim at left-wing “radicals”.
The president told Fox and Friends: “I tell you something that is going to get me in trouble, but I couldn’t care less. The radicals on the right are radical because they don’t want to see crime.
“The radicals on the left are the problem – and they are vicious and horrible and politically savvy. They want men in women’s sports, they want transgender for everyone, they want open borders. The worst thing that happened to this country.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger worried for US democracy following Charlie Kirk assassination
