Asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” whether he would run for president in 2028, Sen. Bernie Sanders told Dana Bash, “Let’s not worry about that,” noting he turns 84 next month. He said what matters more is educating and organizing working-class people around an agenda, and that grassroots movements “will bring forth the appropriate leadership.”
Bernie Sanders downplays 2028 talk: “Let’s not worry about that”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sidestepped a question about whether he will run for president again in 2028 during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” that aired Sunday, August 10, 2025.
“Let’s not worry about that,” Sanders told host Dana Bash. “I am going to be 84 years of age next month, as a matter of fact. I think that speaks for itself.”
Sanders did not explicitly rule out another campaign. He ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020.
Focus on organizing, not candidates
Sanders said that “what is more important” is to educate and organize and to give “working-class people an agenda.” He argued that “we can, in fact, provide a decent standard of living for all our people.”
Bash suggested that a “very hungry, energized base with an idea of what they want” would not bring about change without a leader. Sanders responded that “strong grassroots movements will bring forth the appropriate leadership.”
He declined to name anyone he would back to carry on his political movement.
The “Fighting Oligarchy” tour
Sanders has spent much of 2025 traveling the country on his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, holding rallies, including in Republican-leaning areas, to criticize the influence of wealthy donors in politics and promote policies such as higher wages and expanded health care. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) joined him at several stops, fueling speculation about who could lead the progressive movement in future elections.
What comes next
Sanders’ current Senate term runs through January 2031. The 2028 Democratic presidential field remains open, and no major candidates had formally entered the race at the time of the interview.
Source: Fox News
