He has referred to himself as communist, yet for some reason you believe he isn’t .
Did he really? Even if he did, you've never misbranded yourself? And he's also self-described himself as a "democratic socialist". But people's biases usually use the worst aspect of people they disagree to describe them. It's an obvious exaggeration.
"Communism, political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production (e.g., mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a society." -
https://www.britannica.com/topic/communism
"In the present day, "Democratic socialist" and "socialist" are often treated as interchangeable terms, which can be confusing given democratic socialists don't necessarily think the government should immediately take control of all aspects of the economy.
They do, however, generally believe the government should help provide for people's most basic needs and help all people have an equal chance at achieving success. " -
https://www.businessinsider.com/difference-between-socialist-and-democratic-socialist-2018-6