Senator Bernie Sanders defended his frequent use of private jets during a Wednesday interview on Fox News, arguing it’s the only way to meet the demands of a busy campaign schedule — even during his ironically named “Fighting Oligarchy Tour.”

Appearing on “Special Report” with Bret Baier, Sanders was asked to respond to criticism that he spent over $221,000 on private jets for a campaign focused on attacking billionaires and elites.

“When’s the last time you saw Donald Trump during a campaign mode at National Airport?” Sanders shot back, before Baier noted, “But he’s also not fighting the oligarchy.”

Sanders didn’t back down. “You run a campaign and do you three or four or five rallies in a week, the only way you can get around to talk to 30,000 people — you think I’m going to be sitting on a waiting line at United waiting while 30,000 people are waiting?” he asked rhetorically. “That’s the only way you can get around. No apologies for that.”

Sanders said the use of private jets was “what campaign travel is about,” adding, “We’ve done it in the past, we’re going to do it in the future.”

The comments came amid rising scrutiny of high-spending, climate-conscious Democrats who routinely fly private while warning about carbon emissions. The Washington Free Beacon recently reported that Sanders has spent millions in campaign funds on chartered flights since his 2016 and 2020 presidential runs.

Baier also pointed to Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who criticized Sanders for using the word “oligarch” so frequently that it goes over people’s heads — another dig at his messaging disconnect.

But Sanders seemed unfazed by the hypocrisy charge. His rationale: private travel is a necessary tool to reach the masses, even if it flies in the face of his anti-elite rhetoric.

Still, critics argue this is exactly the kind of elitism Sanders rails against. His frequent calls to “tax the rich” and bring power to the people seem at odds with jet-setting between campaign stops in exclusive aircraft.

The response also opens Sanders up to charges of privilege and tone-deafness, especially in a political moment where working-class voters are increasingly skeptical of politicians who say one thing and do another.

Sanders is far from alone in this pattern. Many high-profile Democrats — including President Joe Biden, John Kerry, and even climate czar Al Gore — have been slammed for crisscrossing the globe in emissions-heavy jets while pushing green energy policies and carbon reductions on average Americans.

But what makes Sanders’ case so glaring is the branding. The “Fighting Oligarchy Tour” was literally designed to cast the Vermont senator as a populist warrior against concentrated wealth and privilege. Yet it was bankrolled — at least in part — by transportation options that few voters can afford.

Critics say the incident underscores a broader credibility problem for the left. Voters increasingly view Democratic politicians as out of touch with the lives of working people, even as they claim to champion them.

And with Sanders openly declaring he’ll “keep doing it,” it’s unlikely the jet-setting contradictions are going away anytime soon. In fact, they may just become campaign fodder — this time, for the other side.