Arnold Schwarzenegger shared some blunt advice Tuesday for environmentalists who are concerned about the Trump administration’s chainsaw approach to environmental sanctions and climate initiatives.
Speaking at the Austrian World Summit in Vienna, an annual, international climate conference he launched, the former Republican governor of California revealed that he is constantly asked by environmentalists and climate change experts what the point is of fighting for the environment at a time when the U.S. government “says climate change is a hoax and coal and oil is the future.”
According to Schwarzenegger, he always tells those experts and activists, “Stop whining and get to work.”
Arguing that 70% of pollution can be reduced by local and state-level initiatives, he called for environmentalists to try making change in other, corporate and governmental ways.
“Be the mayor that makes buses electric; be the CEO who ends fossil fuel dependence; be the school that puts (up) solar roofs,” the movie star, politician and bodybuilder said. “You can’t just sit around and make excuses because one guy in a very nice White House on Pennsylvania Avenue doesn’t agree with you.”
While he was in office from 2003 to 2011, Schwarzenegger devoted a substantial portion of his efforts as a public official to creating and establishing climate initiatives in California. In the years since, he has continued to focus on ensuring a cleaner environmental future as both a spokesperson for environmentalists and through his Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative.
Since Trump took office again in January, his administration has, conversely, been aggressive in rolling back environmental regulations implemented during Joe Biden’s presidency, withdrawn funding from climate projects, proposed major cuts to environmental agencies and pushed for an increased focus on stateside oil and gas production.
Despite his history of environmentalism and his public endorsement of Kamala Harris in late 2024, though, Schwarzenegger chose not to directly criticize President Trump during his appearance at this year’s Austrian World Summit. He said that such a strategy is “not my style” and noted that he refuses to criticize any American president whenever he is outside of the United States.
Instead of criticizing Trump, Schwarzenegger urged environmentalists to focus on enacting demonstrable, impactful change any way they can. “I know that the people are sick and tired of the whining and the complaining and the doom and gloom,” he explained. “The only way we win the people’s hearts and minds is by showing them action that makes their lives better.”
