Rhiannon Hendricks
Senator Bernie Sanders and his wife Jane Sanders travelled to the Soviet Union shortly after their wedding in 1988. The trip was part of a government initiative to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl, Russia. Although the couple did refer to the trip as a honeymoon, it was not a traditional honeymoon, as the focus was diplomacy, not leisure. The couple had a more conventional honeymoon in St. Lucia in the Caribbean the following year.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of the trip | 1988 |
| Place visited | Yaroslavl, Moscow, Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) |
| Purpose of the trip | Finalize Burlington's sister-city relationship with Yaroslavl |
| People on the trip | Bernie Sanders, Jane Sanders, and ten other Burlingtonians |
| Actual honeymoon location | St. Lucia in the Caribbean |
| Bernie Sanders' political affiliation | Democratic presidential candidate |
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What You'll Learn
Bernie Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union in 1988
In 1988, Bernie Sanders, then the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, travelled to the Soviet Union with his wife, Jane Sanders, and a 12-person delegation of city representatives and officials. The trip took place shortly after the couple's wedding on May 31, 1988, and has since been referred to in jest as Sanders' "honeymoon".
The main purpose of the trip was to establish Burlington's "sister city" in the Soviet Union. Sanders chose Yaroslavl, a Russian city on the Volga River, known for its scenic views and depleted industrial core. The suggestion for Yaroslavl to become Burlington's sister city came from Robert Daniels, a University of Vermont history professor, who noted the similarities between the two cities in terms of environment and academic institutions.
During their visit, Sanders and his delegation first stopped in Moscow, where he walked through Red Square and saw Lenin's Tomb. They then travelled to Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg). In Yaroslavl, Sanders interviewed the mayor about housing and healthcare issues in the two cities, criticising US policies on these matters and expressing admiration for some Soviet policies. He was enthralled by the hospitality he experienced and advocated for learning from each other's systems.
Despite the lighthearted references to the trip as a "honeymoon", it was not a romantic getaway. The presence of a large delegation of officials and the focus on diplomatic relations and policy discussions underscore the primarily official nature of the visit.
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The trip was a government initiative
The trip Bernie Sanders took to the Soviet Union—which critics have described as a "honeymoon" in Russia—was indeed a government initiative. Sanders, who was the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, at the time, led a 12-person delegation of city representatives and officials, including his new wife, Jane Sanders. The trip's primary purpose was to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl, Russia, and it came shortly after Sanders' wedding in 1988.
The couple had a more traditional honeymoon a year later in St. Lucia in the Caribbean. However, they did jokingly refer to the Yaroslavl trip as a "honeymoon", and it has since become a punchline for Republican candidates accusing Sanders of Bolshevism or having a soft spot for Russia.
The suggestion for Yaroslavl to become Burlington's sister city did not originate with Sanders but with Robert Daniels, a University of Vermont history professor. Daniels proposed the idea in an April 1988 article in the Burlington Free Press, noting the similarities between the two cities in terms of environment and academic institutions.
The timing of the trip, which occurred just a few days after the wedding, was unusual. According to Sanders' campaign, the dates for the trip had already been set, and the couple chose to have their wedding date coincide with the trip to avoid taking more time off. In a 2007 interview, Jane Sanders recalled the peculiar timing, saying:
> The day after we got married, we marched in a Memorial Day parade, and then we took off in a plane to start the sister city project with Yaroslavl with 10 other people on my honeymoon.
The trip to the Soviet Union was not a traditional honeymoon, and it did not occur during the height of the Cold War. The focus of the trip was diplomacy and building relationships, not leisure, and it included meetings, interviews, and diplomatic functions.
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Critics claim Sanders has ties to Russia
Critics of Bernie Sanders have claimed that the senator has ties to Russia, citing his 1988 trip to the Soviet Union with his wife, Jane Sanders, as evidence. The trip, which took place shortly after their wedding, has been described by critics as a "honeymoon" in the Soviet Union, implying that Sanders may have a soft spot for or nefarious ties to Russia.
While it is true that Sanders and his wife travelled to the Soviet Union in 1988, the primary purpose of the trip was diplomatic, not romantic. Sanders, who was the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, at the time, led a 12-person delegation of city representatives and officials, including his wife, to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington and Yaroslavl, Russia. The trip was pre-scheduled before the couple's marriage, and they set their wedding date to coincide with the trip to avoid taking additional time off.
Despite the clarification, critics have continued to use the trip as ammunition against Sanders, especially in light of his criticism of President Donald Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin. Some have accused Sanders of having a "soft spot" for Russia or even condoning Soviet torture practices, claiming that he "liked Communism so much" that he chose to honeymoon in the Soviet Union. These accusations gained renewed attention in 2020 when concerns about alleged ties between Trump and Russia surfaced again, along with scrutiny of his Democratic opponents' potential connections.
However, it is important to note that the suggestion for Yaroslavl to become Burlington's sister city did not originate with Sanders. Instead, it was proposed by Robert Daniels, a University of Vermont history professor, who noted the similarities between the two cities in terms of environment and academic institutions. Additionally, the Soviet Union was already in the process of restructuring and opening negotiations with the United States, indicating that the trip was part of a broader dialogue-building exchange program between the two nations.
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Sanders and his wife refer to the trip as a strange honeymoon
The claim that Bernie Sanders honeymooned in Russia is a widely shared piece of political trivia. However, it is not supported by reliable sources or official records. Sanders himself referred to the trip as a "romantic honeymoon" in his 2015 book "Outsider in the White House." Nonetheless, he later clarifies that it was a “very strange honeymoon." This trip to the Soviet Union, now Russia, was taken with his wife, Jane, in 1988, the same year they were married.
The couple's trip was not a traditional honeymoon, as it was not a romantic getaway but rather an official visit to establish a sister city in Yaroslavl. They were accompanied by ten other people from Burlington, Vermont, where Sanders was the mayor. Sanders and his companions paid their own way, according to news accounts and his campaign. They first visited Moscow, where Sanders walked through Red Square and saw Lenin's tomb. They then travelled to Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, and Yaroslavl, where they toured various locations, including factories, hospitals, and schools. Sanders also interviewed Yaroslavl's mayor for a Burlington radio show, discussing the costs of housing and healthcare.
Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union has been a source of controversy, with critics accusing him of having a soft spot for Russia or even nefarious ties. Right-leaning websites and Republican candidates have used this trip to attack Sanders, implying that he has a connection to or sympathy for communist or socialist ideologies. However, it is important to note that the suggestion for Yaroslavl to become Burlington's sister city did not originate with Sanders but was proposed by a University of Vermont history professor, Robert Daniels.
While the trip may have been referred to as a "strange honeymoon" by Sanders and his wife, it is clear that it was not their actual honeymoon, as they took a separate, more traditional honeymoon trip to St. Lucia in the Caribbean the following year. A spokesperson for Sanders confirmed this, stating, "St Lucia was the real honeymoon, Yaroslavl was a pre-scheduled trip the day after they were married. It was a fun joke to call it a honeymoon, but not a real one."
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The couple's actual honeymoon was in St. Lucia
While Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane, did travel to the Soviet Union shortly after their wedding in 1988, this trip was not their honeymoon. The couple's trip to the Soviet Union was for diplomatic reasons, as Bernie Sanders was the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, at the time and was leading a 12-person delegation to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington and Yaroslavl, Russia. The couple has even referred to the trip sarcastically as a "honeymoon", with Bernie describing it as a “very strange honeymoon" in his book.
The trip to the Soviet Union has been used by critics of Sanders to imply that he has ties to Russia or a soft spot for the country. However, it is important to note that the purpose of the trip was diplomatic and took place during a period of dialogue-building and restructuring in the Soviet Union.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Bernie Sanders did not spend his honeymoon in Russia. Although he did travel to the Soviet Union (now Russia) in 1988, this trip was not a "honeymoon" in the traditional sense. Sanders himself described the trip as a “very strange honeymoon”, which appears to be a tongue-in-cheek reference. He and his wife, Jane Sanders, took their actual honeymoon in St. Lucia in the Caribbean the following year.
Bernie Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union was an official visit to establish a sister city in Yaroslavl, Russia. Sanders and his wife had gotten married the day before, and they were among a group of 11 people from Burlington, Vermont, who travelled to Yaroslavl to finalise the sister-city relationship. The "honeymoon" reference was likely made in jest.
It is speculated that Bernie Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union influenced his political views and support for socialist policies. Sanders is said to have been "enthralled" with the hospitality and "the lessons that could be brought home". However, others argue that he saw the downsides of the Soviet system, including food shortages and a lack of political freedom.
Bernie Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union sparked controversy because of his criticism of US foreign policy and his alleged ties to Russia. Critics accused him of having a "soft spot" for Russia and "cozying up to communists". The trip was also brought up in the context of the 2020 US presidential election, with concerns about Russian interference and President Donald Trump's connections to Russia.
No, Bernie Sanders did not visit Chernobyl during his trip to the Soviet Union. However, it has been noted that he could have chosen to visit the site of the nuclear disaster, which occurred three years prior to his trip in 1988.
