WASHINGTON
Sen. Bernie Sanders warned Democrats on Sunday against devoting extensive time to investigations of President Donald Trump, saying the party must instead tackle affordability and economic hardship.
Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Sanders acknowledged the need to hold Trump accountable for wrongdoing. "Do we want to hold the Trump administration accountable for their corruption, for their illegal, unconstitutional actions? Absolutely," Sanders said.
But he drew a stark choice for his party, which won House and Senate majorities in last week's elections. When host Kristen Welker asked if two years of investigations could undermine Democrats' mandate to lower prices, Sanders answered directly: "Yes, I do."
Democrats campaigned hard on affordability, blaming Trump-era policies for spiraling costs on gas, groceries, housing and healthcare. But Sanders signaled the party risks losing focus. "We cannot spend all of our time investigating Trump," he said.
The senator cited specific economic failures demanding immediate action: the U.S. has the highest rate of childhood poverty among major industrialized nations, and one in five seniors attempts to live on $15,000 a year.
He also raised concerns about artificial intelligence development, warning that rapid advances could pose an "existential threat to humanity" and threaten privacy and employment.
Several newly empowered Democrats have already pledged to use subpoena power against Trump officials when the new Congress convenes in January. Sanders's intervention signals potential friction within the party over how to balance accountability with economic messaging.
