Here's a story that might make you check your own tax return with a sigh: Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) just called out some of the biggest names in business for paying exactly zero dollars in federal income taxes last year. We're talking about Tesla, Palantir, and Live Nation's Ticketmaster—companies that, according to Sanders, made billions in profits but contributed nothing to the federal coffers.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Sanders laid it out plainly. He said these companies "made billions of dollars in profits, but paid ZERO in federal income taxes." Then he turned it into a political question, asking whether President Donald Trump "will address this outrage at his SOTU address?" His own answer? "I doubt it."

Let's look at the numbers, because this isn't just rhetorical. According to Palantir's own annual report, the company reported a U.S. income of $1.5 billion just in the fourth quarter, with $4.4 billion in yearly revenue. Yet it paid $0 in federal income taxes. How? The company used research and development credits, among other things, and ended up paying over $2.5 million in state taxes instead.

Tesla's story is similar. The electric vehicle giant also paid zero federal income taxes. This isn't the first time Tesla's tax situation has drawn fire; Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has previously questioned whether it's fair for the company to enjoy such breaks. Notably, Tesla received over $1.1 billion in federal income tax breaks.

Then there's Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster. It reported an income of over $145 million but paid no federal income taxes either. The company's explanation points directly to policy: "There was no cash paid for United States federal income taxes as we generated a taxable loss for…2025 due to the provisions allowed within the One Big Beautiful Bill Act," according to its annual report. That's a reference to legislation passed under the Trump administration.

This criticism from Sanders comes amid a wider conversation about how—and how much—the wealthiest individuals and corporations should be taxed. Recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) expressed concerns about a proposed one-time 5% wealth tax on individuals with net worths above $1 billion, saying it "does not make sense." That proposal was gathering signatures.

Meanwhile, Sanders has been a consistent voice for taxing the ultra-wealthy. He has repeatedly slammed Elon Musk and other billionaires like Larry Ellison, Mark Zuckerberg, and Peter Thiel for not paying their "fair share of taxes." His latest post puts the spotlight not on individuals this time, but on the corporate structures that can legally result in massive profits with a federal tax bill of zero.

It's a classic Washington debate: the rules are the rules, but are the rules fair? Companies are using legal credits and provisions—like R&D incentives or specific acts of Congress—to minimize their tax liability. Critics like Sanders argue that when profitable giants pay nothing, the burden shifts elsewhere. The question he's posing now is whether this will even be a topic of discussion in the upcoming political discourse. Based on his prediction, don't hold your breath.