Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll Schumer, Sanders call for Senate panel to address election security MORE (I-Vt.) on Tuesday defended his view that President Trump is a liar after being criticized for his rhetoric by a reporter for The Washington Post.

"What should a United States senator, or any citizen, do if the president is a liar?" Sanders wrote in a post on Medium.



"Does ignoring this reality benefit the American people? Do we make a bad situation worse by disrespecting the president of the United States? Or do we have an obligation to say that he is a liar to protect America’s standing in the world and people’s trust in our institutions?" He added.



On Monday, Sanders blasted Trump on Twitter, saying he "continues to shamelessly lie."



"The United States will not be respected or taken seriously around the world if @realDonaldTrump continues to shamelessly lie," Sanders said in one of his tweets.

The United States will not be respected or taken seriously around the world if @realDonaldTrump continues to shamelessly lie. — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) March 6, 2017

In a news analysis, Post writer Amber Phillips said Sanders's attack on Trump reflects "the sorry state of political discourse."



"I happen to strongly believe in civil political discourse. The vast majority of people in Congress who hold views different than mine are not liars," Sanders rebutted.



"But how does one respond to a president who has complete disregard for reality and who makes assertions heard by billions of people around the world that have no basis in fact?"



In support of his point, the lawmaker pointed to Trump's claims about voter fraud, the size of the crowd on Inauguration Day and illegal voting.