Sanders Accuses Trump Administration of Oligarchy in Response to Joint Address
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders delivered a scathing critique of President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress, accusing the administration of serving as a government "of the billionaire class, by the billionaire class, and for the billionaire class," and declaring that the United States has already transitioned into an oligarchic society. The response, streamed online, directly challenged Trump’s optimistic portrayal of the nation’s progress under his leadership, painting a picture of a government detached from the concerns of ordinary Americans and working families.
Sanders’ remarks followed Trump’s first address to a joint session of Congress since returning to the Oval Office. Trump used the occasion to tout the rapid implementation of his administration’s policies, highlighting executive orders focused on border security and the introduction of a tariff plan. "To my fellow citizens, America is back," Trump declared, expressing confidence that his administration would usher in "the greatest and most successful era in the history of our country," claiming to have accomplished more in 43 days than previous administrations achieved in years.
However, Sanders dismissed Trump’s pronouncements as a series of "lies," systematically refuting several key claims made by the President. He specifically challenged Trump’s assertions about widespread voter fraud by undocumented immigrants, his denial of climate change, his distorted account of the war in Ukraine, and his claim regarding fraudulent Social Security payments to deceased individuals. Sanders asserted that this last claim was a deliberate attempt to justify future cuts to the Social Security program.
"Trump has claimed that millions of undocumented people voted and do vote in American elections – a lie," Sanders stated emphatically. "Trump has claimed that climate change is a hoax originating in China – a lie. Trump has claimed that Ukraine started the horrific war with Russia – a lie. And tonight, just tonight, Trump claimed that millions of dead people between the ages of 100 and 360, were collecting Social Security checks. And that is an outrageous lie intended to lay the groundwork for cuts to Social Security and dismantling the most successful and popular government program in history."
Beyond specific falsehoods, Sanders’ criticism extended to the Trump administration’s overall approach to governance and its perceived prioritization of wealthy interests. He focused on the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, and its efforts to streamline federal agencies, arguing that these efforts disproportionately harm federal employees.
Sanders argued that the actions of Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency foreshadow a bleak future for American workers in the face of advancing technology. He cautioned that if wealthy individuals like Musk can arbitrarily dismiss federal employees, they will likely demonstrate similar disregard for the well-being of the broader workforce as artificial intelligence and robotics become more prevalent.
"For the past several weeks, he and his good friend Elon Musk, who was up there in the audience tonight, have been throwing hundreds of thousands of federal employees off their jobs," Sanders stated. "Now, I know some of you are saying, well, that’s too bad, you know, but that’s the federal government. But I want you to think about this. Think about it for a moment. If Musk and his friends can arbitrarily throw federal workers out on the street today, what do you think that Musk and his fellow billionaires will be doing tomorrow, when artificial intelligence and robotics explode in this country? Do you think they’ll give a damn about you and your families? No, they will treat you exactly the way they’re treating federal employees today."
Sanders’ response underscored the stark ideological divide between his progressive vision and the policies espoused by the Trump administration. His accusation of oligarchy reflects a longstanding concern about the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few, and the potential for this concentration to undermine democratic principles and economic fairness. He presents the image of an administration detached from reality, driven by lies and policies that are designed to only benefit the wealthy and not the average American citizen.
