Washington, Feb 11 (IANS): Senator Bernie Sanders has called US President Donald Trump "delusional" and said that the country under his leadership could move into "authoritarian mode".

"I use the term 'delusional' with regard to Trump when he said there were 3 to 5 million 'illegals' who voted in the last election ... That is delusional," Sanders told CNN's Erin Burnett on "OutFront" on Friday.

"Nobody in the world believes that is the case. There is zero evidence to back it up. But he makes that statement. So I think the word 'delusional' is correct."

Sanders said Trump, whom he called "a total hypocrite," put everyone in "a new era."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sanders, a failed presidential candidate and independent senator from Vermont, also took Trump to task for attacks on the media and the judiciary. He said Trump did not grasp the Constitution, which he swore to uphold when he reached the highest office in the nation.

"Clearly, we have a President who does not understand what our Constitution about, what democracy is about. And I think there is a fear that this country under Trump is moving into a more authoritarian mode," Sanders said.

Adding that he also calls the President a "pathological liar," Sanders said he didn't feel good using such harsh terms.

"I disagreed with George Bush all the time -- never called him a pathological liar, because he was not. Just a conservative President. But this guy lies all of the time," Sanders said of Trump.