Politics

Schwarzenegger to Climate Advocates: ‘Stop Whining and Get to Work’

By Jake Beardslee · June 3, 2025

VIENNA — Arnold Schwarzenegger delivered a direct message to environmental advocates disheartened by the policies of President Donald Trump’s administration: “Stop whining and get to work.”

Speaking at the Austrian World Summit in Vienna, a climate-focused event he co-hosts, the former California governor emphasized that while federal support for climate action has waned, significant progress remains possible at the local and regional levels.

The Trump administration has rolled back many of the environmental initiatives established under former President Joe Biden, including withdrawing funding for climate programs and increasing support for oil and gas development as part of its “American energy dominance” policy.

Schwarzenegger said he is frequently asked by environmentalists and policy professionals why they should continue the fight for a clean environment when the federal government downplays climate change. His answer: act anyway.

“Be the mayor that makes buses electric; be the CEO who ends fossil fuel dependence; be the school that puts up solar roofs,” he told attendees, according to Reuters. He stressed that around 70% of pollution can be reduced through local or state initiatives.

While avoiding direct criticism of Trump, Schwarzenegger dismissed inaction and pessimism. “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,” he said.

Noting that he refrains from criticizing presidents while abroad, Schwarzenegger said it’s “not my style.” He added that change will come not from complaining but from real, visible progress: “The only way we win the people’s hearts and minds is by showing them action that makes their lives better.”