**US Senator Bernie Sanders Speaks Out Against Trump’s Alignment with Russia**
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has expressed his deep concerns about President Donald Trump‘s alignment with Russia and its implications for the future of democracy in America.
As Ukraine enters its fourth year of war with Russia, Trump has been accused of misrepresenting the origins of the conflict, excluding Ukraine from initial negotiations, and advocating for a deal that would force Ukraine to surrender national resources as “repayment” for U.S. aid.
Sanders believes that Trump’s rhetoric is part of a broader movement towards authoritarianism within the Republican Party, which threatens America’s long-term commitment to aiding Ukraine.
**Authoritarian Tendencies in the GOP**
In an interview with The Kyiv Independent, Sanders said: “What is extraordinarily distressing to the majority of the American people is that we now have a president who has very strong authoritarian tendencies… He likes what Putin does. Putin kills his opponents. Putin does not allow freedom of the press.”
Sanders also expressed concern about the influence of billionaires like Elon Musk, who he says are using their power to silence opposition and shape the country’s politics.
**Impact on American Democracy**
If the U.S. were to align itself with Russia, Sanders warned that it would undermine America’s democratic values and institutions. “For so many years,” he said, “we’ve been proud of our democracy… But if we continue down this path, I think we’ll lose that pride.”
**Support for Ukraine**
Despite the challenges ahead, Sanders emphasized the importance of continuing to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia. He urged Americans to stand up and expose Trump’s lies about the conflict.
“We have got to stand up and expose Trump for the liar that he is,” Sanders said. “We have reason to be proud that we are the longest-standing democracy on Earth, and we intend to keep it that way.”
**What You Can Do**
Sanders encouraged Americans to take action in support of Ukraine by speaking out against Trump’s policies and advocating for democracy.
“We’re seeing large numbers of people coming out and saying Trumpism, authoritarianism, and oligarchy are not what the U.S. is about,” he said. “We have reason to be proud that we are the longest-standing democracy on Earth, and we intend to keep it that way.”