Politics

Senator Warns of ‘Mass Unemployment,’ Says Trump Isn’t Trying to Stop It

By Jake Beardslee · December 19, 2025

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued a stark warning Wednesday about the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and robotics, arguing that the United States is dangerously unprepared for the economic fallout such technologies could unleash.

In comments to Raw Story, Sanders pointed to statements from prominent technology leaders, including Elon Musk, who have suggested that automation could render large portions of the workforce obsolete. Sanders said those projections signal a looming employment crisis, particularly for young Americans who are already struggling to find entry-level work.

“He tells us that the concept of work itself, your job, may be obsolete. That means mass unemployment,” Sanders warned. “Is Congress dealing with that issue?”

Sanders acknowledged that artificial intelligence could deliver significant societal benefits but stressed that current policy discussions are failing to address how those gains will be distributed. He argued that without intervention, AI risks enriching a small group of billionaires while leaving millions of workers economically displaced.

To prevent what he described as a looming disaster, Sanders called for a temporary “moratorium” on new data center construction until lawmakers can develop safeguards to ensure AI development does not devastate the labor market.

The Vermont senator also questioned the intentions of tech executives such as Musk, Larry Ellison, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, suggesting their economic priorities are fundamentally misaligned with the needs of working Americans.

Sanders extended that critique to President Donald Trump, describing him as an “oligarch” who is “working with other oligarchs.”

“Do you think he’s staying up nights worrying about the working class of this country? I don’t think so,” Sanders said.