(Headline USA) Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., revealed this week that he is finally eyeing retirement, adding that his forthcoming term in the U.S. Senate will likely be his last.
When asked about the decision, Sanders admitted his age is a big factor.
“I’m 83 now. I’ll be 89 when I get out of here. You can do the figuring,” he told Politico.
Sanders has served in Congress since 1991 and was initially elected to the House of Representatives. He is heading into his fourth term as a U.S. senator.
Throughout his career, Sanders helped move the Democratic Party to the left.
It’s unclear who will take up his mantle if he does decide to step down.
Asked if there are progressive leaders who share his vision for the future of the party, Sanders said, “Some do and some don’t. Dozens of them are really strong progressives who share my perspectives.”
The rest of the Democratic Party, however, is out of touch with the American public, Sanders argued, citing President-elect Donald Trump’s sweeping victory last month.
“The average American is hurting,” he said. “You’ve got to recognize the reality of what’s going on. And I’m not sure that enough Democrats are doing that.”
Sanders has even expressed an openness to working with Trump’s incoming administration, signaling support for some elements of Trump’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency.
In a post on X, Sanders admitted that tech billionaire Elon Musk, who along with former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will be spearheading DOGE, is “right” about the Pentagon’s financial mismanagement.
“The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. It’s lost track of billions,” Sanders wrote. “Last year, only 13 senators voted against the Military Industrial Complex and a defense budget full of waste and fraud. That must change.”
