LOS ANGELES _ In the latest round of the simmering feud between Arnold Schwarzenegger and President Donald Trump, the former California governor Wednesday blasted the president's proposal to slash federal funding for after-school programs.
"President Trump promised us that he wants to make America great again. That's not how you make America great, by taking $1.2 billion away from the children and robbing them blind," he told a packed crowd at a summit on after-school programs at the University of Southern California. "Why would you do that? Why would you balance the budget on the backs of these kids? Kids are the most vulnerable citizens. Kids are our future."
The cut is part of a Trump administration budget proposal released last month that would reduce federal education spending by $9 billion, or 13.5 percent.
Schwarzenegger argued that such a move was penny wise but pound foolish, adding that investing in after-school programs now would save future government spending because they keep children out of trouble and provide academic and physical enrichment.
It's the same argument he successfully made in 2002, when he pushed for the passage of Proposition 49, which earmarks $550 million in annual funding for after-school programs in California. The ballot measure, which was supported by a broad array of interests, was the political foundation of Schwarzenegger's successful run for governor the following year.
The summit _ which was attended by education and elected officials from all 50 states and entertainment and sports personalities including "American Ninja Warrior" host Matt Iseman, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt and "Extra" host Mario Lopez _ was planned before Trump unveiled his budget. But the timing of the gathering was fortuitous.
Schwarzenegger pledged to take the fight over the funding to the nation's capital, as he did when former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush also sought to cut the funding.
"When I look out there, I see crusaders, I see warriors, I see a bunch of terminators," he said. "I know we're going to go to Washington. We're not going to take this lying down. ... We'll talk to both parties and make sure that money goes back into the budget _ that's the bottom line."
Schwarzenegger, who did not support Trump during the 2016 presidential race, has routinely sparred with his fellow Republican over issues such as the environment, the president's travel bans that have been blocked in the courts and their respective approval ratings.
Iseman joked that he expected Trump to hear about the after-school remarks later Wednesday.
"I think we saw a sound bite that we all know someone's going to see later tonight," he said as the crowd roared. "Way to go! Shots fired by the Terminator."
CNN host Van Jones, who took the stage later to moderate a discussion with Schwarzenegger, added, "That was kind of hot. That was kind of spicy. Twitter about to break."
