Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Thursday that he isn’t “absolutely certain” President Donald Trump would reject a Medicare-for-all bill if Congress passed one, pushing back on skepticism from MS NOW host Chris Hayes during a televised interview.
“Healthcare is a human right. We need Medicare-for-all, which is now supported by over 60% of Americans, probably 80-90% of Democrats,” Sanders said.
Hayes interjected, noting that while support for Medicare-for-all has risen in polling, he doubted Trump would ever sign such a measure into law even if Democrats controlled the House and Senate.
“But, I think you and I would agree, the odds of Donald Trump signing that into law, pretty small. … You’re going to have Senate and House, right?” Hayes asked.
Sanders rejected that framing.
“Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it. Two points. Point No. 1: Trump has the constitutional right to veto if he wants to do it. But we have the constitutional right to represent the American people and to pass the damn thing and to show the American people that we are sick and tired of maintaining a broken system.”
He continued with a second point about Trump’s political instincts.
“No. 2. You know what? Donald Trump may be a bit crazy, but he is not stupid. And he is a good politician. And if this guy looks out all over the country, and he says, ‘Oh my God, everybody knows the system is broken. You know what, what do I got to lose?’ So, I am not absolutely certain that Trump would not sign it.”
Sanders added that regardless of the outcome, Democrats should still move forward with the legislation. “But whether he would or not, our job is to produce it. He wants to veto it, Republicans want to sustain that veto, that is their responsibility. The American people will see it,” he said.
Sanders has long championed Medicare-for-all, and the policy has gained broader acceptance within the Democratic Party over the years.
Psychotherapist and author Jonathan Alpert offered a skeptical take on Sanders’ remarks in a statement to Fox News Digital, arguing that the senator has been “giving the same speech for decades.”
“He knows how to tap into people’s frustrations, but calling health care a human right doesn’t automatically make Medicare-for-all the answer,” Alpert said. “Now, Bernie is saying Trump ‘may be a bit crazy, but he is not stupid’ and calling him ‘a good politician.’ That’s quite a compliment coming from someone who’s spent years attacking Trump.”
Alpert suggested Sanders may be using flattery strategically. “He’s appealing to Trump’s ego, dangling the possibility of a historic political victory. It’s a clever bit of psychological maneuvering,” Alpert said. “Bernie may think Trump is crazy, but apparently he’s smart enough to know that flattering him might get him further than attacking him. Other politicians may want to take a cue from Bernie.”
Sanders made his remarks shortly after Democrats scored sweeping victories in Tuesday’s midterm elections, retaking control of both the House and the Senate.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
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