Bernie Sanders makes 'no apologies' for private jet travel on 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is making "no apologies" for chartering private jets to travel for his "Fighting Oligarchy" tour stops across the country.
The Vermont lawmaker and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have been gaining influence through their "Fighting Oligarchy" tour, quickly becoming the face of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Organizers started the tour in response to President Donald Trump's second term to "take on the Oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country."
With multiple rallies a week, Sanders defended his mode of travel, telling "Special Report" executive editor Bret Baier in an exclusive interview Wednesday "that's the only way to get around."
"You run a campaign, and you do three or four or five rallies in a week. [It is] the only way you can get around to talk to 30,000 people. You think I'm gonna be sitting on a waiting line at United…while 30, 000 people are waiting?" Sanders said on "Special Report."
"That's the only way to get around. No apologies for that. That's what campaign travel is about. We've done it in the past. We're gonna do it in future."
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Sanders' campaign committee, Friends of Bernie Sanders, spent over $221,000 chartering private jets during the first quarter of 2025, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings reviewed by Fox News Digital. The filing, which was released last month, shows that Sanders dropped the massive haul between three private jet companies: Ventura Jets, Cirrus Aviation Services and N-Jet.
Some of these flights included Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez's chartered private jet worth up to a staggering $15,000 an hour for several West Coast stops on their "Fighting Oligarchy" tour.
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While defending his travel choices, Sanders, an Independent with considerable influence in the Democratic Party, also offered his take on the considerable success of his country-wide campaign.
Sanders claimed the crowds were a mix of Americans across the political spectrum who have "concerns" about the state of U.S. politics. He pointed to alleged concerns over a "government of the billionaire class," "movement toward authoritarianism" and Republican Party policies.
"I think at a time when the people on top are doing phenomenally well, when seniors, working-class people are struggling, people want to hear action to stand up to the people who have the wealth and the power and create an economy that works for all of us, not just the people on top," Sanders concluded.
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Fox News Digital's Marc Tamasco, Deirdre Heavey, Andrew Mark Miller and Cameron Cawthorne contributed to this report.