AOC and Bernie Sanders were caught boarding a $15,000-per-hour private jet for their ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour, exposing their hypocrisy as they campaign against wealth inequality while indulging in the exact lavish transportation they’ve previously condemned others for using.
Key Takeaways
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders were filmed using a private jet that costs $15,000 per hour while campaigning against wealth disparity and oligarchy.
- Both politicians have previously condemned private jet usage, with AOC explicitly questioning “How many private jets do these CEOs need?” and Sanders claiming climate change is “the single greatest threat facing our planet.”
- Sanders has spent nearly $250,000 on private jet travel in the first quarter of 2025 alone, following $1.9 million spent during his 2020 campaign.
- Private jets pollute 14 times more than commercial planes, with users producing nearly 500 times more carbon emissions annually than the average person.
- Neither Ocasio-Cortez’s nor Sanders’ offices have responded to requests for comment about this apparent contradiction.
Elite Transportation for Anti-Elite Messaging
The self-proclaimed champions of the working class have been caught living like the very elites they criticize. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders were recently filmed boarding a private jet as part of their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour across America. The Bombardier Challenger they’re using burns through 365 gallons of fuel every 1.32 hours and comes with a hefty price tag of $15,000 per hour to charter. This luxurious mode of transportation stands in stark contrast to their campaign’s stated mission of confronting excessive wealth and corporate power in America.
The irony is impossible to ignore as both politicians have built their brands on fighting against the excesses of the wealthy. Their tour, which has included stops in Tucson, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Nampa, and Bakersfield, solicits donations from ordinary Americans to fund their travel expenses. Yet instead of demonstrating fiscal responsibility or environmental consciousness, they’ve opted for one of the most expensive and environmentally damaging forms of transportation available.
AOC’s Private Jet Scandal on Earth Day: Hypocrisy Exposed on Today’s Off Topic Show!
On Today’s Off Topic Show, April 22, 2025, we’re diving into a controversy that’s sparking outrage across the political spectrum! Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) has been caught—again—flying… pic.twitter.com/mrjEC9yl3H
— Off Topic Show (@OffTopicShow2) April 22, 2025
A History of Environmental Hypocrisy
This isn’t Sanders’ first private jet controversy. Records show he spent an astonishing $1.9 million on private air travel during his 2020 presidential campaign. More recently, he’s dropped nearly $250,000 on private flights in just the first quarter of 2025. These actions directly contradict his vocal support for environmental policies like the Green New Deal and his statements that climate change represents “the single greatest threat facing our planet.” If climate change is truly such an urgent crisis, one might expect the Vermont senator to lead by example.
“Climate change is the single greatest threat facing our planet.” – Sanders
Ocasio-Cortez has been equally hypocritical. She once famously questioned, “How many private jets do these CEOs need?” Yet here she is, taking advantage of the very same luxury travel she condemns when used by others. AOC was also spotted flying first-class on JetBlue on a separate occasion, further demonstrating a disconnect between her public persona as a champion of the common person and her private lifestyle choices that mirror those of the wealthy elite she claims to oppose.
Environmental Impact of Elite Travel Choices
The environmental consequences of their travel choices are staggering. According to a 2021 report, private jets pollute 14 times more than commercial planes, which were readily available for the routes they’ve been flying. The Bombardier Challenger they’re using consumes enormous amounts of fuel, with private jet users producing nearly 500 times more carbon emissions annually than the average American. This excessive pollution directly contradicts the Green New Deal policies both politicians have championed and reveals a troubling “rules for thee but not for me” mentality.
“How many private jets do these CEOs need? It is insatiable. It is unacceptable. I do not know how any person can say I need another $100 million before another person can have health care.” – Ocasio-Cortez
Their campaign website boldly claims their tour is “Paid for by friends of Bernie Sanders (not the billionaires),” yet they’re spending ordinary people’s donations on extraordinarily expensive transportation normally reserved for the ultra-wealthy. The silence from both politicians’ offices speaks volumes. Despite multiple requests for comment about this apparent contradiction, neither has offered an explanation for why their luxurious travel habits should be exempted from the standards they set for others.
Sources:
- AOC and Bernie Sanders blasted for sneaking off $7 million private jet after slamming Trump as an ‘oligarch’
- Eco-warriors AOC, Bernie Sanders took $15K-per-hour private jet to attend ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ rally
