Bernie Sanders: I avoid Trump so he 'won't use me for a photo-op'

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stated at the People's Summit in Chicago, Illinois how he will not allow President Donald Trump to use him as a photo opportunity.

Speaking withInternational Business Times reporter David Sirota, the most popular elected official in America explained his "nervousness" about President Trump.

"I've been in the same room with Trump, I've been invited to meet with him in the White House, but my nervousness about Trump is such that I certainly do not want to be used as a photo opportunity," the Independent from Vermont explained. "If he wants to sit down and negotiate specific legislation I would be happy to do that, but I'm not going to be there just to get a photo opportunity and have it used for his advantage."

The wide-ranging interview featured insightful questions, as Sirota once worked for then-Representative Bernie Sanders prior to focusing upon his journalism career.

"The reality of American society today not talked about in Congress or the corporate media is that we are moving toward an oligarchy," Sanders suggested. "Our political system is entirely corrupt as a result of Citizens United."

"You know, the oligarchs, needless to say, are not interested in talking about oligarchy in America.

Senator Sanders made a case that Democrats need to focus on all of the major issues roiling Washington, DC.

"You can not ignore the fact that right now there is an investigation to look at whether or not Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia in that effort, and whether or not Trump obstructed justice by firing James Comey as FBI director," Sanders reminded. "So the difficulty is, there are an enormous number of important issues. We got to deal with them all, but it’s not either-or. We’ve got to deal with them all."