Bernie Sanders warns the U.S. is now a “pseudo-democracy”

Senator Bernie Sanders, who has been drawing large crowds across the country in recent weeks attacking the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s DOGE efforts, sat down with national correspondent Robert Costa for this Sunday’s “CBS News Sunday Morning.” 

In this preview clip, Senator Sanders, a Vermont independent who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020, calls the United States a “pseudo-democracy” due to the way President Trump has governed and how he believes the wealthy have accrued power in both major parties.

Transcript below:

BERNIE SANDERS: One of the other concerns when I talk about oligarchy, Bob, it’s not just massive income and wealth inequality. It’s not just the power of the billionaire class. These guys, led by Musk, are – and as a result of this disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision, have now allowed billionaires essentially to own our political process. So, I think when we talk about America is a democracy, I think we should rephrase it, call it a pseudo-democracy. And it’s not just Musk and the Republicans. It’s billionaires in the Democratic Party as well.

ROBERT COSTA: That’s a serious thing to say as a U.S. senator, pseudo-democracy.

BERNIE SANDERS: Well, look –

ROBERT COSTA: Not, not a full democracy?

BERNIE SANDERS: Look, you get one vote, and Elon Musk can spend $270 million to help elect Trump. Does that sound like a democracy to you?

For more of Costa’s interview with Sen. Sanders, tune in to “CBS News Sunday Morning” Sunday, April 6, at 9:00 a.m. ET, and streaming on Paramount+. 

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