Bernie Sanders is really hoping Donald Trump is the Republican nominee

For his own selfish reasons, Bernie Sanders really wants Donald Trump to be the Republican nominee. The Vermont senator admitted at a New Hampshire town hall Wednesday night that he's pulling for Trump in the GOP primary only for the chance to crush him later. "I would love the opportunity to run against him," the Democratic presidential candidate said. "I think we would win by a lot."
Sanders then explained why, given the choice between him and Trump, a voter should obviously support him. "If you examine his agenda, it is not an agenda for working Americans," Sanders said, underscoring that Trump once said "wages are too high in America."
"And here's the other one that kind of blows me away," he added. "Trump is, as you know, a well-known scientist. Brilliant scientist. ...[Trump] has concluded after years of studying the issue that climate change is a hoax, brought to us by the Chinese. Now that shocked me... because I thought that he would've thought it was a hoax brought to us by the Mexicans or the Muslims."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump was quick to respond to Sanders' remarks on Twitter, dismissing the jabs as nothing more than reverse psychology. Becca Stanek
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Five key questions about the Gaza peace deal
The Explainer Many ‘unresolved hurdles’ remain before Donald Trump’s 20-point plan can get the go-ahead
-
See the Northern Lights from these bucket list destinations
The Week Recommends The dazzling displays can be spotted across Iceland, Sweden and parts of Canada
-
Crossword: October 7, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot