House Intelligence Chair Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) labeled Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) a “threat to national security” on Monday. This accusation comes as Sanders is set to engage top Chinese experts in discussions about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.
Crawford criticized Sanders, calling him “America-last” and accusing him of a history of embracing communism, citing his visits to the Soviet Union. Crawford said on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings With Maria” that during the Cold War, while most Americans avoided the Soviet Union, Sanders chose it as a vacation destination.
Crawford further alleged that Sanders, a self-declared Democratic Socialist, “embraces Chinese communism,” adding, “All I can say is if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, it’s a duck.”
Crawford reiterated his stance by labeling Sanders a “communist” and a “threat to national security.”
JS has contacted Sanders’ office for a response.
In March, Sanders, alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), introduced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act. This legislation aims to halt the establishment of new data centers in the U.S. until comprehensive AI safety regulations and protections for workers, consumers, and the environment are implemented.
Last week, Sanders announced on X his intention to convene a discussion on Wednesday evening with prominent AI scientists from the United States and China. The focus of this dialogue is the necessity of international collaboration to address this existential threat, which Sanders described as “an enormously important issue.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also criticized Sanders in a Monday X post: “The United States is home to the most talented AI researchers in the world. Instead of harnessing American innovation, Senator Sanders is inviting foreign nationals to tell the United States how to regulate AI.”
Bessent added that the “real threat to AI safety is letting any nation other than the United States set the global standard.”
