Bernie Sanders Slams Kamala Harris’ Billionaire Problem

Sen. Bernie Sanders didn’t mince words this weekend about why Democrats lost the presidency in 2024 — and his target wasn’t Donald Trump. It was Kamala Harris.

Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday, the Vermont progressive blasted the former vice president’s campaign for being “too cozy” with the ultra-rich. His remarks came just days after a fiery stop in Wheeling, Wyoming, where he’s been rallying crowds on his Fighting Oligarchy tour.

“One of the reasons Kamala Harris lost this election is she had too many billionaires telling her not to stand up for the working class,” Sanders told the cheering Wyoming audience. “When you let the richest people in America set your agenda, you’re going to lose touch with the people who actually vote.”

Harris, who once positioned herself as a pragmatic progressive, struggled throughout 2024 to shake off criticism that her campaign was bankrolled by Silicon Valley tech moguls, Wall Street donors, and entertainment industry heavyweights. Photos of her shoulder-to-shoulder with Oprah Winfrey and other elite backers became political fodder for both Trump and the left-wing critics who accused her of ignoring bread-and-butter issues.

Sanders insisted his critique came from a place of respect, not rivalry.

“I like Kamala — she’s a friend of mine,” he told CNN’s Dana Bash. “But her core consultants were very influenced by wealthy people. And when that happens, you lose focus on what matters to working families.”

The senator argued that Harris’ policy messaging was “vague” and avoided bold proposals on healthcare, wages, and inequality.

“We have more income and wealth inequality today than we’ve ever had,” Sanders said. “Sixty percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Our healthcare system is broken and we’re still the only major country not to guarantee healthcare to everyone. How do you not talk about these issues when you’re running for president?”

With Trump now firmly back in the Oval Office — and Elon Musk playing an outsized role in GOP politics after bankrolling pro-Trump super PACs and pouring millions into down-ballot races — Sanders says Democrats have to stop tiptoeing around corporate power.

“Billionaires should not be able to buy elections,” Sanders declared. “The current political system in this country is broken and corrupt.”

The warning comes as the Democratic Party faces an identity crisis: double down on corporate-friendly centrism or embrace the populist economic message that fueled Sanders’ own rise.

“If Democrats want to win,” he said, “they must stand unequivocally with the working class. That’s not optional — it’s survival.”

For Sanders, the 2024 loss wasn’t just a Harris problem. It was a cautionary tale about what happens when a party forgets who it’s supposed to fight for — and who it’s supposed to fight against.