"The appointment by President-elect Trump of a racist individual like Mr. Bannon to a position of authority is totally unacceptable," Sanders stated Wednesday. "In a democratic society we can disagree all we want over issues, but racism and bigotry cannot be part of any public policy."
Sanders is the latest Democratic lawmaker to oppose Bannon’s appointment over allegations the former publisher has for years espoused white supremacist views.
On Tuesday, more than 169 members of the US House of Representatives signed a letter asking Trump to dismiss Bannon.
Before serving on Trump's campaign, Bannon ran the right-wing news outlet Breitbart, worked in investment banking and served in the US Navy, including as a special assistant to the chief of naval operations.