Arnold Schwarzenegger’s sharp criticism of Donald Trump after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol included a prediction that Trump would soon become politically irrelevant. Trump later returned to the presidency, making that prediction look very different in hindsight.
Schwarzenegger made the comments in a video released on January 10, 2021. He called Trump “a failed leader” and said he would go down in history as “the worst president ever.” He also said Trump would soon be “as irrelevant as an old tweet.” These were Schwarzenegger’s political views and prediction, not established historical facts.
At the time, Schwarzenegger was a former California governor and a Republican. His video came four days after Trump supporters entered the Capitol as Congress met to count electoral votes and confirm Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.
What Schwarzenegger Said in the Video
Schwarzenegger accused Trump of trying to overturn the election results by misleading supporters with false claims. He also criticized Republican officials whom he said had enabled Trump. His message included an appeal for Americans to unite and support the incoming Biden administration.
The setting mattered. Congress had been interrupted while carrying out the electoral count, and lawmakers later returned to complete it. In its final report, the House committee investigating January 6 concluded that Trump had repeatedly spread false claims about election fraud and had taken steps to overturn the result. That is the committee’s finding; the article does not treat Schwarzenegger’s political criticism as a court ruling.
Trump’s public response followed the attack. In a recorded statement on January 7, he condemned the violence and said a new administration would take office on January 20. That response is relevant context, though it does not change what Schwarzenegger said in his video.
The “Worst President Ever” Line Is an Opinion
Schwarzenegger’s description of Trump as the “worst president ever” cannot be confirmed like a date or vote count. It is a value judgment. People may judge presidents using different standards, such as their policies, leadership, economic record, conduct in office or effect on democratic institutions.
The video confirms that Schwarzenegger made the statement. It does not establish an objective ranking of presidents. Any article or poll repeating the phrase should make clear that it is Schwarzenegger’s opinion.
Trump’s Later Political Career
The prediction that Trump would soon become irrelevant did not match what happened next. Trump remained a major figure in Republican politics, won the 2024 presidential election and returned to the White House on January 20, 2025. As of September 27, 2026, he is the current U.S. president.
That record offers a clear way to assess the prediction’s accuracy: Trump did not fade from national politics in the years after Schwarzenegger spoke. But the word “soon” is not precise, and political relevance can mean different things. The article can verify his later election and return to office; it cannot turn Schwarzenegger’s original prediction into a measurable claim with a fixed deadline.
A Reader Poll Is Not a Scientific Survey
The supplied material asks readers whether they agree with Schwarzenegger. No polling organization, sponsor, survey dates, sample size, method or results were provided. So there is no scientific poll result to report here.
A website reader poll can still invite opinions, as long as its results are described as responses from that website’s participants—not as a measure of what all Americans think. Readers can judge Schwarzenegger’s criticism for themselves while keeping the verified timeline separate from political opinion.
