On Saturday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) renewed his criticism of U.S. campaign finance laws, arguing that wealthy donors can legally spend vast sums to sway elections while even small direct payments to politicians are treated as criminal bribery.

Campaign Finance Double Standard

In a post on X, Sanders contrasted illegal bribery with large-scale political spending. He wrote, "If you give a politician $5 to influence a vote, it's bribery. If billionaires spend $50 million to influence an election, it's legal." He added, "That is what a corrupt campaign finance system looks like."

Trump Faces Funding, Debt Controversies

Earlier, several allies and critics of President Donald Trump said they planned to seek compensation from a proposed $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund." The group included MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, former HHS official Michael Caputo, former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, and former FBI Director James Comey, all citing claims of political or legal targeting.

Trump also faced Democratic backlash over reports that his administration had considered a $1.7 billion settlement tied to his IRS lawsuit over the 2019 release of his tax returns. Sen. Ron Wyden called it "among the most corrupt acts in American political history."

Trump defended the rising national debt, comparing it to real estate leverage and arguing the U.S. remained "under-levered" given its total asset value. He also proposed that the federal government hold equity stakes in major corporations and rely on tariff revenue and foreign investment to address fiscal challenges.