Bernie Sanders calls Donald Trump's tweets 'delusional' and 'insane'

The socialist senator has become a voice for Americans disillusioned by the outcome

Bernie Sanders has emerged from the 2016 election as the one politician unafraid of coming down heavily on Donald Trump.

From delivering warnings to the President-elect that he would not succeed in dividing the nation by deporting millions to promising to become his “worst nightmare” should he try, the socialist senator has become a voice for Americans disillusioned by the outcome.

Mr Sander’s was more strident in his condemnation on Tuesday, branding a series of provactive tweets over recent days “delusional” and “insane” during an appearance on Conan O’Brien.

Mr Trump claimed voter fraud took place during the election without substantiating his claims, then used his Twitter feed to suggest amending the US constitution to make burning the American flag a punishable offence which could see the perpetrator stripped of their citizenship.

“First of all, it's delusional, it's totally insane," said Mr Sanders. "Nobody believes that who studies elections or election patterns.”

“But this is what is scary about it.

“When he says that, he's really sending a signal to Republicans all over this country - Republican leaders - and what he's saying is: 'We have got to suppress the vote, we have got to make it harder for poor people, people of colour, immigrants, elderly people, to participate because they may be voting against us’. And that's scary stuff.

“My own view is that we have got to work overtime to bring more people into the political process, not make it harder for people to participate.

“We have massive income and wealth inequality. We have 43 million people living in poverty. We have climate change threatening the existence of the planet, and he’s talking about three people who might burn the American flag." Mr Sanders said there was a message from Mr Trump hidden in this tweet: “Be careful if you are prepared to dissent."