An interview with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stopped in its tracks on Wednesday when NPR’s Diane Rehm repeatedly pressed the Democratic presidential candidate whether he was a citizen of Israel.
“Senator, you have dual citizenship with Israel,” Rehm said during the interview on her nationally broadcast show based on station WAMU.
“Well, no I do not have dual citizenship with Israel,” Sanders, who is Jewish, interjected. “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. I’m an American citizen, period.”
Rehm cited “a list we have gotten” at NPR that said Sanders was “on that list.”
Sanders dismissed it as “nonsense that goes on in the Internet.”
(Rehm’s station WAMU did not immediately return TPM’s request for comment on Wednesday.)
“Are there members of Congress who do have dual citizenship or is that part of the fable?” Rehm asked Sanders.
“I honestly don’t know but I have read that on the Internet,” Sanders said.
“You know, I got offended a little bit by that comment,” Sanders went on, “and I know it’s been on the Internet. I am obviously an American citizen and I do not have any dual citizenship.”
Listen to the clip:
Here is the transcript, via The Jewish Journal:
Diane Rehm: Senator, you have dual citizenship with Israel.
Bernie Sanders: 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.
Rehm: I understand from a list we have gotten that you were on that list.
Sanders: No.
Rehm: Forgive me if that is—
Sanders: That’s some of the nonsense that goes on in the internet. But that is absolutely not true.
Rehm: Interesting. Are there members of Congress who do have dual citizenship or is that part of the fable?
Sanders: I honestly don’t know but I have read that on the internet. You know, my dad came to this country from Poland at the age of 17 without a nickel in his pocket. He loved this country. I am, you know, I got offended a little bit by that comment, and I know it’s been on the internet. I am obviously an American citizen and I do not have any dual citizenship.
