Sen. Bernie Sanders made an unexpected appearance at Coachella 2025.
The 83-year-old Vermont independent took the stage at the Indio, California, festival on Saturday (April 12) to introduce Clairo and deliver a politically charged message.
“This country faces some very difficult challenges, and the future of what happens to America is dependent upon your generation,” Sanders told the crowd, according to Time. “Now you can turn away and ignore what goes on, but if you do that, you do so at your own peril. We need you to stand up and fight for justice, to fight for economic justice, social justice, and racial justice.”
At one point, after referencing the “President of the United States,” the audience responded with boos. “I agree,” he replied.
The longtime politician went on to criticize President Donald Trump’s stance on climate change. “[Trump] thinks that climate change is a hoax. He’s dangerously wrong,” the senator said. “And you and I are going to have to stand up to the fossil fuel industry and tell them to stop destroying this planet.”
Sanders also addressed wealth inequality and corporate power. “We have an economy today that is working very well for the billionaire class, but not for working families,” he said, calling for action against insurance and pharmaceutical companies. “Healthcare is a human right,” he added.
The senator praised Clairo for using her platform to advocate for critical issues. “I’m here because Clairo has used her prominence to fight for women’s rights, to try to end the terrible, brutal war in Gaza, where thousands of women and children are being killed,” he said.
Later that evening, Sanders reflected on his appearance through X, posting a photo from the stage. “Thank you, Coachella. I enjoyed introducing the great @clairo tonight,” he wrote. “These are tough times. The younger generation has to help lead in the fight to combat climate change, protect women’s rights, and build an economy that works for all, not just the few.”
Earlier in the day, Sanders appeared at Los Angeles’s Gloria Molina Grand Park as part of his ongoing “Fighting Oligarchy: Where We Go From Here” tour alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The event also featured including Neil Young, Joan Baez and Maggie Rogers.
The Sanders-AOC tour has drawn thousands at rallies across Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and Utah. At a March 7 stop in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Sanders invited musician Laura Jane Grace to the stage to perform a provocative new song titled “Your God (God’s D—),” which sparked controversy online for its profane lyrics and religious themes.
