Washington DC - Senator Bernie Sanders in a new interview addressed speculation that he may be considering forming a third party in the aftermath of the 2024 election.

In an interview published on Tuesday in The Nation, journalist John Nichols asked Sanders whether he is thinking of creating a third party or new political grouping, to which the senator responded, "Not right now, no."

"[F]irst of all, we need strong working-class candidates who are prepared to run on working-class issues. That's number one," added the Vermont independent, who caucuses with Democrats.

"Number two, where people can run in the Democratic primary and win, that's fine. Where it is more advantageous to run as an independent, outside of the Democratic primary process, we should do that, as well."

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Sanders insisted a winning strategy also requires getting big money out of politics.

"The very first demand has got to be to get super PACS – AIPAC[-aligned groups] and other super PACS – out of Democratic primaries," he said.

"And if the Democratic leadership is not prepared to do that, if it is not prepared to take steps to assure that billionaires do not dominate the Democratic primary process, you know where they are coming from. And that is not acceptable."

Sanders fueled rumors that he might be considering launching or joining a third party after criticizing the Democratic Party in an email message to supporters following Kamala Harris' 2024 election loss to Donald Trump.

"Will the Democratic leadership learn the lessons of their defeat and create a party that stands with the working class and is prepared to take on the enormously powerful special interests that dominate our economy, our media and our political life? Highly unlikely," Sanders wrote.

"Given that reality, where do we go from here? That is the very serious question that needs a lot of discussion in the coming weeks and months," he added.

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Since the 2024 election, Sanders has publicly blamed Democrats for Trump's win, citing the party's failure to address working people's concerns around skyrocketing wealth inequality, food insecurity, and other injustices.

The senator stoked controversy back in April 2023 when he immediately endorsed President Joe Biden's reelection campaign.

After Biden dropped out of the race this summer, Sanders endorsed Harris and encouraged Americans to cast their ballots in her favor – despite initially expressing concerns about her policy priorities.