Contrary to some reports, Arnold Schwarzenegger does not want to physically take on President Donald Trump. The actor respects the presidency and his statement in an interview was just misinterpreted by the media.
Schwarzenegger, who was the governor of California from 2003 to 2011, received calls from Europe on Feb. 7, Tuesday, from people who wondered if he was heading East to be physical with the president. That was after he responded to a question on how he felt about Trump's tweet on Jan. 6. The president's tweet was about the ratings of the current season of "The Celebrity Apprentice" where Schwarzenegger succeeded Trump in the hosting job.
"Let's sit on it for an hour?," Schwarzenegger told Men's Journal. "I called my assistant and said, 'I think what we really should do is request a meeting and go back to New York....And then we just smash his face into the table.'"
The 69-year-old actor ended the statement with a loud laugh. In a separate interview after that, he said he was just joking but such point was lost when the story came out in social media since news writers want to sensationalize things. The media failed to describe that his statement was delivered jokingly.
"One has to be very careful because I always try to say things in a classy way, and not to give the impression that I want to be physical and do this to the president," Schwarzenegger told Variety. "I have too much respect for the presidency."
When Trump ran for the presidency, Schwarzenegger thought he cannot do both so he volunteered to host the "The Celebrity Apprentice." He met with the show creator Mark Burnett, some people at NBC and was hired.
Though he casually knows Trump, the "Terminator" actor did not support him during the November 2016 elections. He had previously criticized the president's other statements and moves but never extend to physical harm. As for Trump's tweet about "The Celebrity Apprentice" ratings, Schwarzenegger tweeted back wishing the president luck in serving the American people.
Here is a clip where Trump and Schwarzenegger clash over "The Apprentice" ratings: