Indio, California, April 14, 2025 – Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) made a surprise appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12, delivering a passionate speech to tens of thousands before introducing singer-songwriter Clairo. The 83-year-old progressive firebrand used the platform to criticize President Donald Trump, urging the largely Gen Z and millennial crowd to “stand up and fight for justice” on multiple fronts.
Sanders opened by emphasizing the stakes for the younger generation, saying, “This country faces some very difficult challenges, and the future of what happens to America is dependent upon your generation.” He called for action on economic, social, and racial justice, earning cheers from the audience. When he mentioned Trump, the crowd erupted in boos, prompting Sanders to quip, “I agree,” before slamming the president’s denial of climate change. “He thinks that climate change is a hoax. He is dangerously wrong, 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 declared.
The senator also addressed threats to reproductive rights, noting that in states like Florida—home to Rep. Maxwell Frost, who introduced him—politicians are “trying to take away a woman’s right to control her own body.” He urged the crowd to fight for women’s rights, a message that resonated strongly, especially as Florida’s six-week abortion ban has been in effect since May 2024. Sanders further criticized economic inequality, stating, “We have an economy today that is working very well for the billionaire class but not for working families,” and called for a system that benefits everyone, not just the 1%.
Sanders’ appearance followed a massive “Fighting Oligarchy” rally in Los Angeles earlier that day with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which drew 36,000 people. His Coachella speech, while energizing for many, drew online criticism for its setting—some X users pointed out the irony of decrying wealth inequality at a festival where tickets start at $600. Sanders praised Clairo for her activism, particularly on women’s rights and the Gaza conflict, before her set began to chants of “Bernie, Bernie, Bernie.” The senator’s tour continues with stops in Utah, Montana, and Idaho, signaling a strategy to mobilize young progressives in conservative areas.
