Bernie Sanders Spent More Than $550K In 2025 Campaign Funds on Private Jet Travel

(RightwingJournal.com) – Senator Bernie Sanders, the socialist crusader against billionaire excess, burned over $550,000 in campaign funds on luxury private jets during his 2025 “Fighting Oligarchy” tour—exposing the height of elite hypocrisy now that President Trump has drained the swamp.

Story Highlights

FEC filings confirm Sanders’ campaign spent $550K+ on private jets in 2025, mostly with Ventura Jets at $354K.
Sanders and AOC boarded luxury Bombardier Challenger jets in red districts while railing against wealth inequality.
Private jets pollute 14 times more than commercial flights, clashing with Sanders’ climate rhetoric and anti-oligarch stance.
Sanders defends the spending with no apologies: “That’s what campaign travel is about.”
Pattern repeats 2020 campaign’s $1.9M jet tab, fueling conservative calls for accountability in 2026.

FEC Filings Expose Massive Private Jet Spending

Friends of Bernie Sanders disbursed over $550,000 from campaign funds on private jet services through Q3 2025. Ventura Jets received at least $354,000, with additional payments to N-Jet and Cirrus Aviation Services covering 75% of transport costs. These expenditures supported the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour launched in February 2025, targeting red districts with crowds up to 36,000. The tour criticized billionaires and wealth gaps amid President Trump’s economic successes.

Luxury Jets Amid Anti-Wealth Rhetoric

Photographic evidence from April 2025 shows Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez boarding a Bombardier Challenger jet in Bakersfield, California, after a rally, then landing in Sacramento. These jets cost up to $15,000 per hour and feature widest cabins with personal service. Q1 spending hit $221,723, Q2 added $230,000 versus $19,000 on United Airlines, and Q3 tallied $78,371. Sanders likened billionaires to “heroin addicts” hooked on greed during the tour.

Pattern of Hypocrisy Traced to 2020 Campaign

Sanders’ 2020 presidential bid spent over $1.9 million on private jets through Apollo Jets and Advanced Aviation Team. His personal wealth includes three homes, marking him as a millionaire despite anti-oligarchy positioning. Ocasio-Cortez complemented with luxury hotel stays, like $3,165 at Leo Kent Hotel in Tucson. Campaign funds, drawn from small donors, financed multi-stop logistics in conservative areas preaching equality.

Sanders Defends Lavish Travel Without Remorse

Sanders told Fox News he offers no apologies for the jet usage, stating it matches past practices and future plans. Conservative consultant Matt Gorman highlighted the irony: socialists demanding commercial flights from others while indulging in polluting luxury. Private jets emit 14 times more than commercial options, per environmental reports, undermining Sanders’ climate allies’ criticisms of similar elite travel.

Implications for Progressive Credibility in Trump Era

The disclosures bolster Republican narratives on Democratic elite hypocrisy, eroding trust among tour audiences and donors. Short-term, they fuel GOP attacks questioning fund stewardship. Long-term, they spotlight campaign finance scrutiny as President Trump’s administration prioritizes fiscal responsibility and limited government. Red district crowds heard anti-billionaire messages funded by the very excess Sanders decried.