DC Radio: Candidate Sanders Blasts Internet Nonsense

Diane Rehm

WAMU 88.5 FM host Diane Rehm falsely stated in an interview with Bernie Sanders on Wednesday that the Vermont senator has dual Israeli citizenship.

In an unusual exchange in the middle of the interview with the recently declared 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, Rehm said she got the information about his alleged citizenship from a "list." Rehm's show is heard on National Public Radio-affiliate stations across the country.

"Senator, you have dual citizenship with Israel," Rehm began, before Sanders interrupted.

"Well, no I do not have dual citizenship with Israel. I'm an American. I don't know where that question came from. I am an American citizen, and I have visited Israel on a couple of occasions. No, I'm an American citizen, period," Sanders said.

Sanders, who is Jewish, has visited Israel several times and spent several months working on a communal farm called a Kibbutz in the 1960s.


"I understand from a list we have gotten that you were on that list, forgive me if that is..." Rehm said.

As the site Jewish Journal noted, the list Rehm may be referring to seems to be one that has circulated on the Internet for several years concerning U.S. government officials and members of Congress who allegedly hold dual citizenship with Israel.

"That's some of the nonsense that goes on in the Internet. But that is absolutely not true," Sanders said.