Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) found himself on the defensive during a wide-ranging interview on the Joe Rogan Experience this week, as podcast host Joe Rogan pressed him on his climate change assertions, tax policy, and criticism of billionaire political donations in elections.
The conversation lasted over an hour, highlighting deep ideological divides between the progressive senator and the popular host known for challenging guests from across the political spectrum.
During the interview, Sanders warned of the growing threat of climate change, saying it is “not a hoax” and referencing recent decades as the warmest on record.
“There are some people who think climate change is a hoax. It ain’t a hoax. I think the last 10 years have been the warmest on record,” Sanders said.
But Rogan quickly interrupted, referencing an article that he claimed pointed to cooling trends.
“Did you see the Washington Post piece? … Essentially, they found that we’re in a cooling period. … It was a very inconvenient discovery, but they had to report the data,” Rogan said.
Sanders admitted he hadn’t read the article, responding, “Well, I’m not sure. I didn’t read that article.”
Rogan seized on that admission, arguing that “a lot of money is involved” in promoting a climate crisis narrative and accusing government institutions of exploiting environmental concerns for control.
“There’s a lot of money involved in this whole climate change emergency issue. And there’s a lot of control. And that’s a big part of this problem,” the podcaster said.
The next moment hit like a freight train, and Sanders wasn’t expecting it.
He pushed the climate change narrative that “the last ten years have been the warmest on record.”
Rogan’s response was brutal. He didn’t just push back. He pulled out an article from The Washington Post… pic.twitter.com/NgQK7qFU5B
— The Vigilant Fox
(@VigilantFox) June 25, 2025
The exchange grew more intense when Sanders pushed for higher taxes on the wealthy, particularly those profiting from artificial intelligence.
“The people who own that [AI] technology … are becoming phenomenally richer … which gets back to things like tax reform,” Sanders said.
Rogan, a frequent critic of government inefficiency, questioned the point of raising taxes if the money is mismanaged. “But the problem with that is the taxes go to what? An incompetent, corrupt government? This is the issue that people have,” Rogan argued.
Sanders conceded the frustration: “Fair enough. All right.”
The big finale came when Rogan raised a topic no politician wants to touch: the legitimacy of taxes.
Sanders tried to score points by insisting the ultra-wealthy should pay their “fair share”—but Rogan flipped the script and challenged the very premise of taxation itself.… pic.twitter.com/uuVwNOuhZQ
— The Vigilant Fox
Sanders declined when asked whether he would consider another presidential run, citing his age.
“I am 83 years of age,” he said.
Rogan replied, “You’re still very with it,” before pointing out that Sanders is still “a couple years older than Biden.”
The compliment landed awkwardly, with Sanders pausing in silence before responding flatly, “So…”
The final flashpoint came when Sanders blasted Elon Musk for donating $270 million to support President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign.
“He spent $270 million to elect Trump. I think that’s absurd,” Sanders said, calling Citizens United “maybe the worst decision the Supreme Court ever made.”
HOO BOY: Joe Rogan just DERAILED Bernie Sanders who was trying to prove that big money was behind President Trump’s election in 2024.
Rogan IMMEDIATELY pointed out that there was WAY more money behind Kamala Harris!
This is GOLD. pic.twitter.com/gh1Fjno8ss
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 24, 2025
But Rogan pushed back, asking how much had been spent on former Vice President Kamala Harris’s failed 2024 campaign.
REPUBLICANS SEE OPPORTUNITY IN ZOHRAN MAMDANI NYC MAYORAL PRIMARY WIN
“They spent $1.5 billion just in the course of a couple of months,” Rogan stated.
Sanders did not contest the number, saying, “They spent a lot of money on her.”