Has Coachella gotten so desperate that they needed an 83-year-old politician to hype up the crowd? Apparently so—because Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) made a surprise appearance on stage to introduce 26-year-old singer Clairo (real name Claire Cottrill). But he didn’t stop at music. Sanders used the moment to take jabs at President Donald Trump and rail against “billionaires”—ironically, at a festival where ticket prices range from $499 to $1,399.
Clairo, a vocal critic of the war in Gaza, echoed her stance, with Sanders nodding in agreement as she claimed that “thousands – thousands of women and children are being killed.” Notably, neither of them acknowledged the suffering or casualties endured by Israelis.
“This country faces some very difficult challenges and the future of what happens to America is dependent upon your generation. Now you can turn away and you can ignore what goes on but if you do that, you do it at your own peril. We need you to stand up to fight for justice. To fight for economic justice, social justice, and racial justice," Sanders told the crowd.
NEW: Senator Bernie Sanders shows up to Coachella in California to rant about President Trump in front of tens of thousands of people.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 13, 2025
The Democrat 2028 playbook is to get the drugged-out 20-year-olds to the polls.
"We need you to stand up to fight for justice, to fight for… pic.twitter.com/72ZivjD7DY
Sanders jumped on the climate change issue, criticizing Trump for what he claims is the belief that climate change is a “hoax.”
“He is dangerously wrong," Sanders said. "You and I are going to have to stand up to the fossil fuel industry and tell them to stop destroying this planet."
Joined by fellow Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Sanders — who called her “one of the best members” of Congress — claimed that politicians are trying to take away a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body.
“We need you to stand up and fight for women’s rights. We have an economy today that is working very well for the billionaire class but not for working families. We need you to help us to create an economy that works well for everybody, not just the one percent,” he continued. “We have a healthcare system that is broken. We are the only major country not to guarantee healthcare to all people. We need you to stand up to the insurance companies and the drug companies and understand that healthcare is a human right."
However, social media users weren’t impressed with Sanders’ Coachella cameo, mocking the irony of him lamenting “tough times” while speaking at a luxury music festival packed with celebrities and trust fund kids in the middle of the desert.
So let me get this straight. Bernie Sanders went to Coachella, an event where tickets range from $700-$1,300, and an order of nachos goes for more than $100, to lecture about oligarchy. Is that right?
— Bad Hombre (@joma_gc) April 13, 2025
That’s liberal logic. Just like he and AOC flying first class to “fight oligarchy”
— Trump World (@Louaye1980) April 13, 2025
Nothing like a multi-millionaire showing up at Coachella to preach about... economic justice.
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) April 13, 2025
These people have no self-awareness.
I’m sure Bernie flew out there on a private jet proving that climate change is only an issue for you and not for them. 🤡
— SK (@SteCK1878) April 13, 2025
A millionaire preaching to a bunch of millionaires about standing up for social justice. Sounds about right.
— Steven Steele (@MrStevenSteele) April 13, 2025
