The next is the total transcription of an interview with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an Impartial, a portion of which aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on July 26, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We start this morning with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Welcome again to Face the Nation, Senator.
SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS: Good to be with you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth advised Congress he wants $67 billion on an emergency foundation to assist pay the troops, to assist restock munitions. I do know you object to the struggle, however we’re on this factor now, and- and I do know you wish to assist the troops. So, how do you do this with out offering the funding?
SEN. SANDERS: Effectively, Margaret, we’d like $67 billion to construct housing, to make it possible for all of our individuals have healthcare, that we cope with local weather change, that we cope with a center class- a working class on this nation that’s struggling. The struggle in Iran is unconstitutional. It’s unlawful. Ought to by no means have been began. We have to sit down, negotiate, finish this struggle as shortly as doable.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So our polling that we simply referenced there present that the president does have low approval scores, however in the case of Democrats, they really fare barely worse on this. After they have been requested by CBS who has the higher method to Iran, 32% say Trump and the GOP, solely 30% say Democrats. So, what ought to the answer be right here? Is there an affirmative imaginative and prescient from Democrats on how one can get out of it?
SEN. SANDERS: The answer needs to be A- and by the best way, each the Home and the Senate have voted for Warfare Powers Decision that makes it clear what Trump is doing is unlawful. However on condition that we’re the place we’re proper now, let’s sit down. Let’s negotiate with them. Let’s cease the killing. Let’s cease the devastation to our financial system, which is elevating fuel costs, costs all throughout the board. That is what we have to do. Sit down, negotiate. Let’s finish this struggle.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Simply reduce the losses the place they’re?
SEN. SANDERS: Sure.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. Effectively, we’re 100 days out from the midterm races. I do know you have been working, going across the nation to assist enhance a few of these progressive candidates. Maine is a state that might flip management of the Senate. Yesterday, 600 Maine major delegates changed scandal-ridden Graham Platner with Troy Jackson. He is a logger. He is a progressive. He had been allied with Platner earlier than he known as on him to wake out within the wake of these sexual assault allegations. I am questioning, with 100 days out, can Jackson play catch-up right here?
SEN. SANDERS: I believe he can. I believe what Troy- and I’ve identified Troy for a few years. What he understands that the individuals of Maine are sick and uninterested in a rigged financial system, by which the billionaire class is getting richer and richer, the place we have now extra earnings and wealth inequality in the present day than we have ever had within the historical past of this nation. Whereas 60% of our individuals, together with in Maine, together with in Vermont, throughout this nation, reside paycheck-to-paycheck, making an attempt to place meals on the desk, making an attempt to pay for healthcare, for housing, put apart a couple of bucks for retirement. Troy understands that. He is a working class man. He is from the working class. He’s very articulate. I believe he stands a superb opportunity to win. The issue that he has, and the issue that we have now in Michigan and Minnesota proper now, we have now candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Peggy Flanagan- is that the oligarchs, the billionaire class, are throwing unbelievable quantities of cash into these campaigns to guard the institution candidates, and whether or not we will overcome that, that is still to be seen. However in Michigan proper now–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.
SEN. SANDERS: –the tremendous PACs- billionaire tremendous PACs, spending $50 million in opposition to El-Sayed.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, you have been an early supporter in Maine of Graham Platner. You helped him rise. Do you remorse not performing earlier to name for him to drop out, given the warning indicators? Would that have–
SEN. SANDERS: No, I–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –given you a leg up right here with Jackson?
SEN. SANDERS: No, I do not suppose so. After we heard the intense allegations made in opposition to him, I needed to get on the telephone. I needed to speak to him. I did. I requested, together with nearly all his supporters, that he ought to get out of the race, and he did.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However you’re assured that together with your endorsements, these different candidates have been totally vetted?
SEN. SANDERS: Effectively, look, I believe, you recognize, there are a whole lot of candidates. I do not know who has been quote unquote totally vetted–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, you simply talked about two of them.
SEN. SANDERS: –all I do know is the candidates- nicely, all I do know is, Margaret, that the candidates that we’re supporting are standing up for the working class of this nation. And at a time when so many individuals are discouraged, deeply discouraged, whether or not you are Republicans, Democrats, Independents, a few, not solely a rigged financial system, however a corrupt marketing campaign finance system by which billionaires are shopping for elections, I believe the candidates that I and different progressives are supporting are producing huge grassroots pleasure and enthusiasm. As you indicated, I used to be in Michigan, Minnesota.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.
SEN. SANDERS: We had giant rallies for El- El-Sayed and Peggy Flanagan.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There may be, as you recognize, although, concern inside Democratic circles that these inter-party major fights are draining sources and type of, you recognize, pulling away from what needs to be a unified message. Rahm Emanuel wrote within the Wall Avenue Journal, “The Bernie Bros might spoil Democrats’ midterms.” He mentioned the DSA and others are saddling the social gathering with nominees who, as he put it, “wildly unpopular positions will shield Republicans from having to pay the value of Donald Trump’s corruption.” Stated it was, “the socialists who led the cost to defund the police, open borders, abolish prisons.” He is saying these are dropping messages which are going to harm the social gathering total. How do you reply?
SEN. SANDERS: That’s what– that’s what Rahm Emanuel is saying, who little question has the assist of hundreds of thousands of working class individuals. Look, that is an argument. There isn’t any- no debate. There’s a sturdy division throughout the Democratic Get together. You may have an institution like Rahm Emanuel, who’re depending on billionaire marketing campaign contributors and wish to keep the established order. Then you’ve got a progressive motion, which, by the best way, what’s getting these guys nervous is we’re profitable throughout this nation. Abruptly, Mamdani in New York Metropolis, it is in New Jersey, it is in Ohio, it is in Colorado. Persons are sick and uninterested in the Rahm Emanuels, and the Democratic institution, and the Republican institution. They’re asking easy questions, Margaret. Why in God’s title are we the one main nation on Earth to not assure healthcare to all individuals as a human proper? Fairly easy query. Canada does it. Europe does it. Someway we won’t do it. Why do we have now an financial system by which one man, Mr. Musk, owns extra wealth than the underside half of American society?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.
SEN. SANDERS: Why do the economists inform us that within the richest nation within the historical past of the world, our children will probably have a decrease lifestyle than their dad and mom? The American persons are uninterested in a rigged financial system, a corrupt marketing campaign finance system. They need actual change. They do not need Rahm Emanuel and the institution sustaining the established order.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However within the meantime, I hear you on the message that you just suppose is resonating on the, you recognize, the tactical planning right here. Do you suppose within the state of Michigan that you just have been simply speaking about with Abdul El-Sayed, he is a public well being official, he is a populist, however he is operating in opposition to a reasonable, Haley Stevens. Do you actually suppose that in a state like Michigan, it’ll be a progressive Democrat who might beat a Republican in November? This was a state Trump narrowly gained.
SEN. SANDERS: Completely. Whether or not it is Michigan, Minnesota, Vermont, or anywhere else on this nation, the purpose I am making an attempt to make, Margaret, and the polling signifies this, the persons are sick and uninterested in the established order.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure.
SEN. SANDERS: We’re the richest nation within the historical past of the world. We should always have the very best lifestyle for all of our individuals, not huge earnings and wealth inequality. And by the best way, we shouldn’t be persevering with to get entangled in genocidal wars with Israel in Gaza or getting concerned within the destruction of Lebanon. Folks need change in overseas coverage and in home coverage. The established order just isn’t working.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However for Republicans who’re taking a look at this, they’re saying, ‘that is nice.’ Is Bernie going to inform his supporters to not present up, for instance, if Haley Stevens wins out in Michigan, or will you say–
SEN. SANDERS: No–
MARGARET BRENNAN:–it’s- in the long run, the Democrats need to unify?
SEN. SANDERS: Margaret, the Republicans, and possibly it is the Republican institution, possibly it is the billionaires who personal the Republican Get together. Your working-class Republicans aren’t going to say that they cannot afford to pay for healthcare. They can not afford to ship their children to school. They can not afford first rate retirements. And quite a lot of of them, by the best way, can be voting for Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota and Abdul in Michigan.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You talked about the price of residing. After we take a look at polling, it is healthcare prices which are the general public’s high financial fear, in accordance with KFF. Out in Vermont, you have acquired the costliest ACA premiums in the complete nation. I am listening to from Republican senators now that they wish to make adjustments to healthcare too. Your chair on the HELP committee, you’ve got been championing change. Why aren’t we seeing any traction in Congress if that is the primary subject? Why cannot you guys work on a–
SEN. SANDERS: That’s–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –bipartisan foundation right here?
SEN. SANDERS: Margaret, that may be a nice, nice query, and I’ve to inform you the reply has all the things to do with cash and politics. That the operate of the present healthcare system is to not do what different international locations are doing all over the world, guaranteeing healthcare, high quality healthcare, to all of our individuals as a human proper. The operate of the present American healthcare system is to make billions of {dollars} in income for the insurance coverage firms and the drug firms, and they’re spending big quantities in marketing campaign contributions to make it possible for that occurs. So, after we discuss a political revolution, after we discuss a grassroots movement–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.
SEN. SANDERS: –one of the issues we’re speaking about is we have now acquired to affix each different main nation by means of a Medicare for All single-payer program.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is there a single-payer program on this nation that you just suppose truly labored? I imply, Vermont struggled with it when your state tried it. Is there a mannequin for what you are speaking about?
SEN. SANDERS: No, look we do not have- no, Vermont. No, there may be not. However 50 miles north of the place I’m speaking to you proper now, they’re spending half as a lot per capita as we spend, and in some way or one other, they handle to ensure healthcare to each man, girl, and youngster in that nation. You go to the hospital for a month, you come out, there is no such thing as a invoice. Is it an ideal system? No, however we’re the one main nation that doesn’t assure healthcare to all individuals. That’s what we have now acquired to do.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re the rating member on the HELP committee. The CDC has been with out a Senate confirmed chief now for almost 11 months. The FDA would not have a chief occurring two months now, there isn’t any surgeon common. Underneath questioning, Dr. Erica Schwartz, President Trump’s nominee, was repeatedly requested if she would resist political stress. I do know her solutions didn’t win your vote, however do you suppose that she even has sufficient assist to make it out of committee and finally to get confirmed?
SEN. SANDERS: Look, I favored her personally. I imply, she has a really sturdy background in public well being, within the army. She’s an lawyer as nicely. Very spectacular resume. However while you’re coping with the Well being and Human Companies Division company, the difficulty is whether or not individuals will stand as much as Bobby Kennedy- Secretary Kennedy, and his conspiracy theories relating to vaccines, and many others. and many others. She didn’t impress me as anyone who, actually, would do this.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You do not suppose she is going to finally make it by means of?
SEN. SANDERS: I do not know that she is going to or not.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay.
SEN. SANDERS: She could acquire Republicans, however I will not vote for her.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You do have bipartisan assist from the MAHA caucus for a invoice to require warning labels for ultra-processed meals and to attempt to prohibit advertising and marketing to children. Would not the FDA form of already do this with all of the disclosures on packaging that tell–
SEN. SANDERS: No–
MARGARET BRENNAN:–you the substances? I mean–
SEN. SANDERS: Nowhere close to sufficient. You understand, nowhere close to sufficient. Look, we have now a problem- actually severe disaster on this nation when it comes to weight problems. I believe one out of 5 kids in America is overweight, and that interprets into diabetes, which is, as you recognize, only a horrible sickness impacting our nation, and really costly to cope with. We’re spending about $400 billion a yr coping with diabetes, so what I wish to see, and I believe lots of people wish to see, is robust labeling. You understand, so if a mother goes to a grocery retailer and the child says, ‘hey, I would like that Coca-Cola,’ perceive {that a} 20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola has 15 teaspoons of sugar in it. Dangerous stuff, and it isn’t simply Coke. Clearly, it is all these sweetened drinks and all types of processed meals. So, what we try to do is A, have sturdy labeling and B, ban TV promoting of junk meals to children.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, you do have some Republican assist for it. We’ll regulate it. Senator Sanders, thanks to your time this morning.
