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Sen. Bernie Sanders Acknowledges Common Ground with Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In a recent interview with Business Insider, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) expressed a willingness to find shared perspectives with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and political figure Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as they are poised to assume influential roles in President-elect Trump’s forthcoming administration.
Sanders described Musk as a “smart guy” while detailing potential areas for collaboration despite his previous criticisms of Musk’s business practices, which he believes pose risks to democracy. Musk has been appointed to co-lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, where he has committed to reducing government expenditure.
“If someone on the other side has a good idea, sure, I’ll work with them,” Sanders remarked, acknowledging the complexity of political discourse.
Sanders highlighted that while Musk’s actions during Trump’s campaign were often contentious, he recognized the tech mogul’s call for an independent audit of the Defense Department as a valid point. “We need a strong military, but we don’t need all the waste and profiteering and the fraud that exists in the Pentagon right now,” Sanders stated, emphasizing the need for accountability in defense spending.
He also reiterated this sentiment in a recent post on social media platform X, where he stated, “Elon Musk is right. The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. It’s lost track of billions.” He called for a shift in Senate attitudes towards the Military Industrial Complex, noting that only 13 senators opposed the recent defense budget rife with inefficiencies.
Additionally, Sanders identified common ground with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been selected to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Kennedy is expected to encounter a challenging confirmation process, given his controversial views on health. Nevertheless, both Sanders and Kennedy advocate for reform in dietary health across the nation.
“When Kennedy talks about an unhealthy society, he’s right,” Sanders remarked, pointing to the alarming statistics of chronic illnesses such as obesity and diabetes across the nation. He underscored the broader implications of these health issues, not just on individuals but also on the healthcare system. “We want our people to have long lives, productive lives, happy lives. If the industry is providing our children with food that contributes to obesity and diabetes, that’s a serious problem we need to address,” he asserted.
While Sanders was critical of Kennedy’s viewpoints on vaccination—referring to them as “kind of crazy” and rooted in conspiracy theory—he acknowledged that certain aspects of Kennedy’s discourse on health resonate with valid concerns, stating, “Some of what he’s saying is not crazy.”
Source
thehill.com