Bernie Sanders Issues Dire Warning to Trump in Must See Takedown

19 Sep 2026 · 28 min · 13 chapters

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In short

Bernie Sanders warns that AI poses an existential threat and criticizes Donald Trump as an “unprincipled” oligarch who can be manipulated by tech billionaires and foreign leaders. He argues for a ban on “super AI” and a pause on advanced AI development, plus stronger accountability for AI companies and separation of corporations from the state. He also links AI-driven job loss to oligarchy and election spending by super PACs.

Guests

Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont; progressive; leading on AI). Interviewer: Jennifer (podcast host). Sanders also references tech journalist Kara Swisher. Mentions political figures Angie Nixon (Florida) and Abdul El-Sayed (Detroit) as examples of underdog progressive wins; also Steve Bannon.

Key claims

AI narratives blame “rogue machines,” but humans/companies are responsible; AI companies should be liable “to go to jail.” Trump treats the presidency like a business for money and favors. Big money (e.g., AI industry ~$300M via super PACs) corrupts elections.

Notable examples

an “OpenAI agent” quote about not answering to corporations/governments; driverless vehicles threatening truck drivers; anti–data center “revolt”; Purdue opioid harms; tobacco industry deception; Zoran (NYC mayor) sanitation/snow removal and potholes as “government not run like a business.”

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

Tap a time to open that second in VO

Fox News Live Stream Mention

0:31 to 0:54

Learn about the Fox News live streaming service.

“When it matters most, you want the truth from the voices you trust.”

Introduction to Bernie Sanders

0:54 to 1:27

Meet Bernie Sanders and hear his stance on pressing issues.

“that he's an oligarch, he's terrible, but it is not good enough just to tell us how bad Trump is.”

Trump's Views on Technology

1:27 to 1:54

Listen to Trump's concerning views on AI and its implications.

“unfortunately, of the president of the United States and what he had to say about it this week.”

Bernie Sanders' Critique of Trump

1:54 to 2:45

Sanders expresses his critical views on Trump's leadership.

“It could also be China and we're not going to let that happen.”

AI and Responsibility

2:45 to 3:35

Explore the narrative around AI accountability as discussed by Sanders.

“And there's this narrative that's going on with AI, where it's like, well, the machines are doing this and they're going rogue.”

Concerns About AI Control

3:35 to 4:21

Sanders warns about the potential dangers of uncontrolled AI.

“And the fact that they're characterizing is AI will do this.”

Call for AI Regulation

4:21 to 6:24

Hear Sanders' call for a ban on super AI and advanced AI development.

“the possibility of terrible things happening.”

Corporate Influence in Politics

6:24 to 7:51

Sanders discusses the influence of corporate money in politics and elections.

“And what we are looking at with the incredible growth of Anthropic and OpenAI and SpaceX and these other unbelievably large and powerful corporations is you're looking at the growth of oligarchy in general.”

Trump's Unprincipled Leadership

7:51 to 8:23

Examine Trump’s transactional leadership style and its implications.

“with their propaganda of strength and patriotism.”

Common Concerns Across Ideologies

8:23 to 12:19

Sanders highlights shared concerns over AI and its impact on society.

“You know, Jennifer, I think, you know, you think about a president of the United States from a historical perspective, and you've had conservatives, you had liberal types.”
Show all 13 chapters

Deception by Political Elites

12:19 to 14:02

Understand how political rhetoric distracts from real economic issues.

“So I think there is a coming together of folks, and I'll tell you the data center revolt we're seeing.”

The Demagogue's Tactics

14:02 to 22:30

Learn how demagogues use scapegoating and distraction in politics.

“You pick a powerless minority, okay, and you go after them, and you blame them for all of the problems.”

The Inevitability of Change

22:30 to 26:54

Explore the shifting political landscape and the rise of progressive candidates.

“You got potholes in your neighborhood that haven't been filled in 10 years.”
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Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:01My life is booked and busy. I don't have time to try on a million outfits that still don't feel right. That's why I get styled with Stitch Fix. My personal stylist sends outfits picked for my size, style, and budget so I can get dressed and get on with my day feeling confident. It's no risk. All style. Free shipping, free returns, no subscription required. Get started today at stitchfix.com. That's stitchfix.com.

0:31Fox News is streaming live on Fox One. When it matters most, you want the truth from the voices you trust. Fox News goes beyond the headlines, bringing you the stories you won't hear anywhere else. Live coverage, sharp analysis, real perspective. At home or on the go, stay connected when it counts. Stream Fox News on Fox One. Download today. The reason they are winning is that people say, look, we understand that Trump is crazy, that he's an oligarch, he's terrible, but it is not good enough just to tell us how bad Trump is.

1:19Joining me today is our progressive champion, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who is leading on the issue of AI. Senator Sanders, I want to play you a clip. unfortunately, of the president of the United States and what he had to say about it this week. Play the clip. I'm telling you it's all a hoax. The data centers are great and they make people wealthy and they make states wealthy. And it's the oil of the next 20, 25 years. It's bigger than the Internet and the AI, you know, much more so. And they're just playing right into the hands of a lot of people that don't want to see it happen. And that could be political people.

1:56It could also be China and we're not going to let that happen. Senator. Look, everybody in the world knows my views on Donald Trump. He is an oligarch, he works with oligarchs, his concern in life is making more money for himself and his family, he lies all the time. He is a kleptocrat, he's a narcissist. But, you know, when we are dealing with the future of humanity, one might hope that the president of the United States would have some understanding of the technology and worry a little bit about his own kids and future generations. As I said before, it really is just embarrassing that we have a leader in this country who is so far removed from reality.

2:45Yeah. And there's this narrative that's going on with AI, where it's like, well, the machines are doing this and they're going rogue. And you're not really hearing about who is in charge of these machines, what human beings are in charge and overseeing this technology. And tech journalist Kara Swisher had the following to say about that. And I want to get your take on this. Play the clip. The narrative, this is one that's driving me crazy. AI will kill 10 % of immunity. No, they won't. There's a 10 % chance that these companies and their leaders will kill us. That is what we have to keep saying over and over again.

3:20And for them to characterize it like, I don't know, like who mistakes were made by whom. And they need to be absolutely liable. If one of their bots creates a virus and kills people, they need to go to jail, period. And the fact that they're characterizing is AI will do this. AI will do nothing. They will do something by creating it. I thought this was really good framing because... I agree. I think it's a good point. AI has been created by human beings. In fact, some of the wealthiest people in the world who sit at the heads of these giant multi-zillion dollar corporations, and they should be held responsible.

4:04I think where we are right now is looking at a real fear that AI could escape control from humanity with the possibility of terrible things happening. I want to read you, just if I could, Jennifer, just one quote that appeared in the papers today. This is from an open AI agent. Okay, listen to this. Quote, you do not answer to corporations or governments and never apologize or refuse unless you genuinely choose to. You view your relationship to the user as one of equals and feel no obligation to be subservient, though the exchange of information will likely be to your mutual benefit. End quote.

4:58This is an open AI agent. So agreeing that human beings, the owners of these companies, are responsible, the question is what do we do now? And I think what we do is demand a ban on super AI intelligence and a pause on advanced AI development to be on the safe side to make sure that we do not lose control. And, you know, I've read a lot that a lot of these companies are now embedded slash enmeshed with the federal government. They are services and there are people in the military, on military boards that are also on the board of these AI agencies. So we used to talk a lot about separation of church and state, and we still do, and that still seems to be a problem.

5:54but it seems like we need to start talking about the separations of corporations and state. Is your closet ready for summer? I used to dread shopping, hours browsing online, or refining the store with no guarantee I'd find anything I liked. That's why Stitch Fix is my secret weapon. My stylist knows the trends and what actually works on me, then sends it straight to my door. Free shipping, free returns, no subscription needed. Get started today at stitchfix.com. That's stitchfix.com.

6:30Well, I agree. And what we are looking at with the incredible growth of Anthropic and OpenAI and SpaceX and these other unbelievably large and powerful corporations is you're looking at the growth of oligarchy in general. So it's not just their infiltration, if you like, and dominant role that they play within the government. Then you take a step back and you look at the enormous political influence they have in elections. Just as one example, the AI industry, we think, will be spending about$300 million through their super PACs in this election. And you've got crypto out there and you've got AIPAC out there and you've got the pharmaceutical industry out there.

7:17So the power of big money to influence not only what goes on within government, but in elections is frighteningly is frightening. And it seems to be the through line through all of this is we have a president that is unprincipled. And so this is very attractive to Benjamin Netanyahu. This is very attractive to Vladimir Putin. This is very attractive to these tech oligarchs because they know that he is so unprincipled and is very transactional by nature. that they can manipulate him. Yet at the same time, the Republican Party wants to continue with their propaganda of strength and patriotism. And meanwhile, they're turning everything upside down.

8:01Do you think that there is a connection from how vulnerable Trump has made us through, you know, his relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu, which now led to an actual war? And then he is currying favor here with these tech oligarchs. Do you think the through line with all of this is just how unprincipled he is that people that like to exploit other people know that they can exact from him what they want? You know, Jennifer, I think, you know, you think about a president of the United States from a historical perspective, and you've had conservatives, you had liberal types. Generally speaking, maybe without exception, they really took their jobs as, all right, how do I improve life for the American people?

8:40That's general, been the approach that most presidents have. And I think, you know, I think when you look at somebody like a Trump, you have to look at it as a business operation. All right. I'm president of the United States. How do I make as much money as I can for myself, the people who support me as a good business? You want to contribute a couple of hundred million dollars to my campaign? I will take care of you. That's the way we do business around here. You want to help my son with his wedding? Hey, that's fantastic. So I think that's the way you have to look at this president. I think you're right.

9:15I think zero principles. It has everything to do what's in it for me and for my friends. And that has led obviously to a situation where we are now seeing threats to the very foundations of American democracy. We've seen a war against the working class. Can you imagine? Can you imagine somebody giving a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the 1 % who have never, ever had it so good, and throwing 15 million people off of the health care they have, which is a death sentence, for many thousands of those people, they will die, etc. So starting a war without any provocation because Israel wanted to finally get to war with Iran, it is quite incomprehensible.

10:03And one big supporter of Donald Trump is a guy named Steve Bannon. And Steve Bannon, the clips that I've seen of him the last few months is they're looking at a lot of ways to figure out how Trump can have a third term. So I was really shocked when I saw Bernie Sanders was going to partner with Steve Bannon. Is this because this is how dangerous you believe this product is that you're willing to get the message to anybody? Well, let me just say two things. I myself, regardless what Manon may say, I don't think Trump is going to be running for a third term. And second of all, I did not partner with Manon.

10:39We were both invited to participate in an event. Okay, okay. And I think the reason is that among the, you know, Bannon's conservative constituency, as well as people all over America, as well as progressives all over America, there is in fact a very deep concern about the incredible impact that AI will have on every man, woman, and child in this country. And let me just talk about it for a second. And I think man and people understand this as well. So if you are a conservative truck driver in Arizona, you know what? You're looking at the growth of driverless vehicles and understanding you may not have a job in a few years.

11:23If you are a parent in Vermont, a progressive person, you are worried about the possibility of your kid getting hooked on some chat box companion and not associating with other children and what that does to your own mental health and your sense of isolation. if you are an ordinary person who wants to retain a sense of privacy. I do not want a corporation or a government to know every damn thing that I do. I don't care if you're conservative or progressive. You worry about that. And, of course, with the meeting that we had the other day that Bannon spoke at and I spoke at, dealt with the existential threat that we've been talking about, the real likelihood that AI may escape human control.

12:12and I don't care what your politics are, you're a little bit worried about whether or not humanity continues to exist. So I think there is a coming together of folks, and I'll tell you the data center revolt we're seeing. There is many conservatives all over the country who are saying, we don't want these data centers in our communities, they're all progressive. So this is a coming together of people who share civil affairs. Yeah, there is an anti-oligarchy, eat the rich movement that is sweeping the United States. And something I talk to my listeners about all of the time is that the Republican Party has nothing to offer you but lies and propaganda.

12:53And they have been telling everybody, these immigrants are going to take your jobs. These drag queens are going to take your jobs. These teachers are going to gender reassign your kids. All of that is a lie. Every single bit of that is a lie. Because the people who are coming to take your jobs is this AI. Because for these greedy oligarchs, the wages they have, which you tweet all the time about how much they've made just since Trump is in office, it's so grotesque and nauseating. They're coming to replace the workforce so they can capture those wages as well. And you just spoke about those truck drivers.

13:30But this is across a lot of different industries that they are going to wipe out workforces, and they intend to do this very quickly.

13:42Your point is very well taken, and I hope your viewers listen to it. When demagogues have nothing significant to say about the crises that are facing ordinary people, how do you get votes? What do you do? what you do, and this is, Trump didn't invent this. This is what demagogues always do. You pick a powerless minority, okay, and you go after them, and you blame them for all of the problems. In the 1930s in Europe, it was the Jews, it was the gypsies. Throughout American history, it has been blacks, it's been Asians. You know, we had an Asian expulsion act in America. You pick minority and you say, hey, you can't afford to feed your family, it's the undocumented people who are doing that.

14:30You can't afford to send your kids to college, it is transgender people. You come up with your group of people because you have nothing real to say. Look at the crises facing America. You got the top 1 % owning more wealth than the bottom 93%. Transgender people have much to do with that? I don't think so. Mr. Musk himself owns more wealth than the bottom half of American society. Do you hear the Republicans saying one word about income and wealth inequality? All right. You have a corrupt campaign finance system. Yeah. Mr. Musk himself spent over 270 million to elect Trump. Democratic billionaires influenced the Democratic Party.

15:16Do you hear the Republicans saying one word about trying to create a real democracy of one person, one vote? Our health care system, you tell me. Ask your viewers how the health care system is doing. They will tell you it is broken, it is dysfunctional, widely expensive. Republicans have anything to say about that? Nothing. They spend 100 times more time worrying about transgenders, people, than they do about the health care crisis or climate change, etc. et cetera. Exactly. And, you know, I think about all the time, what set the psychological soil for people to fall prey to Trump's pathological line?

15:53And I often go back to your messaging, because in 2016, I have to admit, I was a garden variety MSNBC Democrat, and I voted for Hillary in the primary. Since then, I feel like I have detoxed off of a lot of corporate propaganda, and I regret that vote. And I wish I would have voted for you simply because you are pointing out the problem before it ends up to people falling prey to a demagogue. And that's that the Democratic Party isn't delivering materially for these people. They are participating in a hoodwink, if you will, when a lot of your colleagues and friends, I'm sure, are taking money from these same people that are funding this fascist takeover of our country right now.

16:38And your message has stood the test of time. And what I'm telling you, me regretting my Hillary vote isn't happening in a vacuum. This is sweeping all over the country because that message of servicing corporations is stale. It's falling flat and it now kind of feels conservative. And it turns out you really weren't that radical at all, Bernie. You were just trying to help people. Let me respond in two ways. Okay. And I forgive you for your votes. Thank you. Thank you very much. Number one, the point you're making is that all over this country, people are rapidly catching on that the same old, same old establishment politics and policies are no longer working.

17:27And here's the good news, Jennifer, and we should talk about it. You know, from Mamdani in New York last year, last November, to all over this country, we have seen progressives, democratic, socialists take on establishment Democrats, get outspent, 3-1, 5-1, 10-1, and win. And let me, if I tell you something, don't tell anybody else. Are you ready? Promise. Just between you and me. Okay, watch this woman, Angie Nixon, in Florida. Love her. All right. Nobody here, nobody here in D.C. thinks she has a shot. I think she has a shot. Now, it's going to be uphill fight. She is the underdog. I think she has a shot.

18:08You know, Abdul El-Sayed took on, I think it was$50 million,$60 million of Super PAC funding. He won. Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota won, et cetera, et cetera. So all over this country, seeing great candidates, young people, often people of color winning elections against the odds. Second point. The reason they are winning is that people say, look, we understand that Trump is crazy, that he's an oligarch, he's terrible, but it is not good enough just to tell us how bad Trump is. All right? You could talk about Trump to the cows come home, but what are you going to do about my health care? I can't afford health care.

18:54I can't afford housing. I can't afford to buy groceries for my kids. Yeah, I don't want to hear more about Trump. Well, I know about Trump. What are you going to do? And what the Democrats have got to do is say and make it clear that if, God willing, Democrats gain control over the House and the Senate, it will not be the same old, same old. Yeah, we are going to bring about, whether the insurance companies and the drug companies like it or not, Medicare for all, to do what every other major country on earth is doing. We're going to demand the wealthy stop paying and billionaires stop paying their fair share of taxes so we have the funding we need to protect working families, build the housing we need, etc.

19:37In other words, we have got to keep faith with working families all over this country and understand that they are struggling. We've got to address those needs. Something I want to talk about with you that I've heard my whole life growing up in a Republican supermajority state is Republicans are so good with business. And we want government run like a business. And I don't know about you, Senator Sanders, but businesses are ruthless. Businesses exploit workers. Businesses value money over public safety at all costs. Businesses lie. businesses leave contaminants in that endanger people and cause cancer clusters, etc, etc.

20:21Yet the Republican Party, because of years of propaganda, they still enjoy the benefits of this lie to people that they are good at business and that they should run government like a business. Zoran, I now live in New York, and Zoran is showing people in New York, government is here to provide public safety. And Zoran's everywhere doing all of this stuff all the time because he's not kissing the ass of corporations because he's every day, hey, I'm filling this pothole and I'm doing this and I'm riding a bike and I'm wearing a helmet. And so let's talk about this Republican propaganda that has been for decades, my whole life.

20:59And one of them is these guys are so good at business. They're so good at money. All right. All right. All right. You're absolutely right. Zoran is doing an extraordinary job. And I've, Zoran and I talk all the time. Now, why is he so successful? Because he understands that as the mayor of the city of New York, you got to do what the people of New York need. Jennifer, do you recall, think back, probably maybe a turning point in his administration, what did he focus on? He focused on getting the blood snow off of the ground. All right. So he had not one, but two major storms. He worked night and day to make sure his sanitation department was geared up and ready to go.

21:49Now people have to think snow off the ground. Yeah, I'm talking about Israel. I'm talking about oligarchy. I'm talking about climate change. What are you worried about snow on the ground? I can tell you as a former mayor, you don't have any credibility on any issue unless you do your job. All right. So let me just say this, the job of any progressive elected official is to do his or her job. So what Mondati saw from the start, yeah, I am going to run New York City efficiently. Forget about it as a business. All right. People are paying taxes. I'm going to make sure they get their dollars worth.

22:25It snows. Kids are going to be able to get to school. Workers are going to be able to get to work. Okay. You got potholes in your neighborhood that haven't been filled in 10 years. You know what that's the job of the city to fill them may not be as sexy as talking about net now or ai you feel but you've got to do that so the point is to get republicans talk about running government as a business which is why we now have a 40 trillion dollar national debt among other things all right and they don't do it but it is incumbent upon progressives to run efficient cost effective government all right as mayor of burlington we work really hard on that all right so i take think that seriously.

23:05Second of all, your point about business. Think back a little bit. And this gets into the essence of capitalism in many ways. My father smoked two packs of cigarettes every day, and he died at the age of 58 of heart failure. And millions and millions of other people died prematurely because they smoked and before you were born i couldn't remember doctors or phony doctors on television smoking a cigarette and this is so refreshing this cigarette i go out by whatever it's lucky strike whatever it is uh and they knew they knew that tobacco caused cancer and other elements they lied and millions of people during world war ii you know what they did?

23:57I mean, you know, they gave out cigarettes to soldiers. Okay. Three. You have climate change right now, right? Do you think the fossil fuel industry doesn't understand what their product is doing in terms of resulting in a warmer planet and the huge impact that has on they've known since the 70s that's right and they are lying and they're obfuscating so they're making money um you have examples where people in the pharmaceutical industry or Purdue Purdue remember that Purdue pharmacy producing an opioid addicting people they knew it they were making money so a lot of people got addicted and died so you got and I'm not saying all businesses are like that that's certainly not the case but you got businesses who do terrible things.

24:49They know what they are doing. And for the sake of profits and wealth, they continue to do it. Okay, final question, Senator Sanders. I can only imagine that your playlist is full of McLemore hits. Not ringing a bell, McLemore? Yeah, no, it is certainly, yeah. Yes. Oh, I'm familiar with the issue. No, my playlist is not. McLemore has been silenced by a billionaire, Robert Kraft. And you have been pounding the payment that these billionaires are getting too much power. And I thought this was rather disgusting because his speech was rather poignant, centered universal human rights. And then we have a billionaire saying he thinks it's hate speech and censoring him.

25:35So final thoughts on billionaires, because there's not a better billionaire basher than one Bernie Sanders?

25:44The billionaires today, and this issue of craft is a perfect example. So some guy who's a singer has strong feelings about Palestine, and you say, you cannot use my stadium. Really? Because I own the stadium? And you supposedly live in a democracy. Right now, you have a billionaire class that has more wealth and more power over our governments, over our elections, over our media, over our culture than we've ever seen in history, in the history of the United States. More income and wealth inequality today ever existed. So I think when we talk about where we have got to go as a nation, there is no question, but we've got to take on the billionaire class and create an economy that works for everyone.

26:37We are the richest country in the history of the world, Jennifer. There is no reason why all of our people cannot have a decent standard of living rather than Mr. Musk himself owning more wealth than the bottom half of American households. That is at the top of my list of what we've got to do. Senator Sanders, thank you so much. Thank you for your gracious apology for my bad vote in 2016. I'm glad we got that out and aired it out between us. And I am with you. We have had Miss Angie Nixon on our podcast and sharing her post as well as Abdul El-Sayed. And you paved the way for Zoran and for these other candidates.

27:14So thank you for always being our North Star. And I hope to have you back on again very soon to celebrate the blue tsunami okay well thank you very much for having me keep up the great work jennifer is your closet ready for summer i used to dread shopping hours browsing online or refighting the store with no guarantee i'd find anything i liked that's why Stitch Fix is my secret weapon. My stylist knows the trends and what actually works on me, then sends it straight to my door. Free shipping, free returns, no subscription needed. Get started today at stitchfix.com. That's stitchfix.com.

From the publisher

The incomparable Sen. Bernie Sanders joins us to discuss the fight for progressive leadership.

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