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Bernie Sanders: “We begin to accept as normal the unconstitutional, illegal…”

Featuring: Bernie Sanders, Independent | U.S. Senate, Vermont

Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown

Published October 16, 2025 | Video Starts at 35:00

Absolutely. You know, we are beginning. One of the things that frightens me, Caitlin, is We begin to accept as normal the unconstitutional, illegal and outrageous actions on the part of the White House. Can you imagine anybody ever thinking that it would be acceptable for somebody to say, oh, people in New York and California and Vermont, they didn't vote for me. (35:00–35:09)

CLAIM

Asserts that the White House is engaging in unconstitutional, illegal, and outrageous actions.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Bernie Sanders

“Studies indicate that when you do that, some 50,000 Americans a year will die unnecessarily.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 00:33-00:41
“Middle class families will be paying $50,000 a year for health care.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 01:09-01:17
“The top 1% owns more wealth than the bottom 93%.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 25:27-25:31
“Drug companies last year charging us the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs made over $100 billion in profit.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 56:35-56:43
“Gaza has a population of 2.2 million people. In the last two years, 160,000 people have been wounded, mostly women, children and the…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:01:37-1:01:51
“65,000 people have been killed, women, children and the elderly, predominantly [in Gaza].”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:01:51-1:01:57
“We have given under Biden and under Trump, $22 billion to Netanyahu's extremist government.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:02:23-1:02:34
“70, 80 years ago in this country, if you went to a public college or university, your tuition was zero.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:17:21-1:17:28
“Republicans are catching on that you can't throw 15 million Americans off of the health care they have.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 00:25-00:33
“They [Canada] spend half as much as we do per capita [on health care].”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 00:31-00:33
“In my state of Vermont, there are people today who receive notices that their premiums are going to quadruple.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 00:54-01:02
“In the Senate, [passing the budget] needs 60 votes.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 07:39-07:44
“Republicans have 53 people in their caucus. Democrats, including independents, have 47.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 07:52-07:58
“What Republicans are saying, yeah, we don't have 60 votes. We're not talking to you our way or the highway.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 08:03-08:10
“They've refused to negotiate.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 08:33-08:35
“The United States [is the] richest country on earth, [and the] only country not to guarantee health care to all people.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 09:18-56:16
“50,000 people dying a year, this is based on studies done from the University of Pennsylvania and Yale.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 09:37-09:43
“You take 15 million people off of their health care, by and large low income and working class people.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 09:43-09:49
“Trump and his friends made massive cuts to Medicaid and are forcing us to double premiums for the ACA.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 10:02-10:09
“They gave the 1% in this country $1 trillion in tax breaks.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 10:09-10:16
“Our healthcare system is broken. I think it is dysfunctional, and I think it's on the verge of collapse.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 12:29-12:37
“You're talking about cuts to nursing homes, you're talking about cuts to rural hospitals, you're talking about cuts to community health…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 12:42-12:54
“The United States, the richest country in the history of the world, [is] the only major nation not to guarantee health care to all people as…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 13:06-13:18
“The American people want [to protect people today from losing their health care or from seeing their premiums skyrocket].”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 14:48-15:04
“We are seeing the Republican Party doing less of representing their districts and their states than just swearing allegiance to the…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 16:48-17:01
“Thom Tillis, conservative Republican from North Carolina...says, this is a disaster for North Carolina. I can't vote for it.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 17:26-17:38
“60% of our people are living paycheck to paycheck.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 22:22-22:26
“People paying 40, 50% of their limited incomes for housing.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 22:37-22:42
“Trump gives his billionaire friends huge tax breaks.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 22:46-22:50
“50,000 people a year may die because of Trump's cuts [to healthcare].”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 23:46-23:51
“We right now have a president who is targeting the Attorney General of New York State, who is targeting a United States senator because they…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 35:26-35:39
“We have got to be cognizant that if Trump wins this fight, our health care system could well collapse and tens of thousands of people could…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 40:23-40:37
“Republicans aren't in town. How do you negotiate with people who refuse even to show up to do their job? They're on vacation for what, a…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 41:41-41:49
“The law is in the senate. They need 60 votes. They don't have 60 votes. They've got 53 or maybe 52.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 44:20-44:29
“Chuck Schumer has voted for continuing resolutions 13 times in the last four years.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 45:19-45:24
“There are 53 Republicans in the Senate, correct? Yes. They need 60.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 45:31-45:31
“A lot of lives are at stake in terms of our federal employees who are hurt, in terms of tens of millions of people who are going to suffer…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 46:01-46:11
“We are in a House housing crisis, a health care crisis, an education crisis, massive income and wealth inequality, a corrupt campaign…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 47:56-48:06
“We're living in the richest country in the history of the world.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 48:21-48:25
“We're the only nation not to guarantee health care to all people, the only nation not to guarantee paid family and medical leave.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 48:27-48:34
“We have a $7.25 an hour minimum wage.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 48:33-48:38
“We have 800,000 people sleeping out on the street.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 48:37-48:41
“We have a president who denies the reality of climate change.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 48:40-48:45
“The president is acting unilaterally in violation of the Constitution.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 50:02-50:07
“We are the only major country not to guarantee health care while spending twice as much per person.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 53:13-53:24
“We're spending $14,500 [per person on health care].”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 53:23-53:26
“Most Americans think health care is a right.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 54:17-54:20
“Most Americans think we should have a minimum wage, which is a living wage.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 54:20-54:25
“Most Americans don't believe we should have tax breaks to billionaires and cut back on education.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 54:24-54:30
“They're trying to fix health care by throwing 15 million people off of it.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 55:56-56:01
“Insurance companies make tens of millions of dollars. They pay their CEOs 20, $30 million a year.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 56:42-56:49
“The function of the American health care system...is to guarantee huge profits for the drug companies and the insurance companies.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 56:48-56:59
“Israel had a right to defend itself. They were attacked by a terrorist group. They did not have a right to go to an all out war against…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:03:03-1:03:13
“The United States essentially funded this war.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:05:30-1:05:34
“The United States has been from day one, under Biden, under Trump in the driver's seat.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:05:45-1:05:50
“You got a Democratic Party. There's no great secret that's kind of in the doldrums right now. Everybody acknowledges that.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:08:33-1:08:39
“He has something like 80,000 volunteers knocking on doors.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:08:45-1:08:51
“He's bringing blacks and whites and Latinos and Asians, everybody together around a really strong agenda, talking about affordability in New…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:08:53-1:09:05
“He's a great candidate. This should be the model what we want.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:09:45-1:09:50
“Millions of people are going to come out on a no Kings Day. Maybe more people coming out than any time in American history.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:16:41-1:16:48
“Speaker Johnson said this is a hate America rally because people are coming out expressing their concerns about massive cuts to health care…”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:16:48-1:16:59
“We're the only country not to guarantee health care at all.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:17:11-1:17:14
“Millions of senior citizens in this country are trying to get by on $15,000 a year or less.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:17:59-1:18:06
“We are the richest country in the history of the world.”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:18:13-1:18:17
“Should we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major nation? Highest rate of senior poverty?”
Rep. AOC and Senator Sanders Join CNN Town Hall to Discuss Republicans' Government Shutdown | Uploaded October 16, 2025 | 1:18:20-1:18:27