New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez posted an emotional video on her Instagram page Sunday, fighting back against her critics and blasting President Donald Trump following allegations that she does not understand foreign policy.
Ocasio‑Cortez’s voice was hoarse as she addressed the growing backlash after her recent appearance at the Munich Security Conference. The 36‑year‑old lawmaker went viral for stumbling over her words when asked whether the United States should send troops to defend Taiwan if China theoretically invaded the island.
While overseas, Ocasio‑Cortez also misspoke and said that Venezuela was “below” the equator. Venezuela is actually entirely in the Northern Hemisphere.
“If you think I don’t understand foreign policy because out of hours of discourse about international affairs, I pause to think about one of the most sensitive geopolitical issues that currently exists on Earth,” she said on Instagram.
WATCH: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responds to critics of her widely mocked performance at the Munich Security Conference in a social media video that is going viral, in part, because her fiancé is snoring through it. pic.twitter.com/0KMQmwooi7
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 23, 2026
Ocasio‑Cortez then turned her attention to Trump, who had remarked that Ocasio‑Cortez’s blunders were “career‑ending.”
“I’m afraid the issue’s not my understanding,” Ocasio‑Cortez said, “but rather the problem is perhaps you’ve gotten adjusted to a president that never thinks before he speaks and doesn’t care about the implications of his words before he speaks on matters like these.”
Trump had not responded to Ocasio‑Cortez’s comments as of publication.
Look, take this from someone who still stumbles over his words even when paying for groceries. Even her biggest supporters would likely acknowledge that there are plenty of things to rightfully criticize Ocasio‑Cortez about, as is the case with every politician. A glance at social media shows plenty of New York City residents who voted for Zohran Mamdani and are already regretting that decision less than two months into his term as mayor.
But most of those New Yorkers seemingly aren’t frustrated with Mamdani because he might trip over his words at a press conference. Their issues arise from his often tone‑deaf approach to using humor in serious situations, an increasing number of New Yorkers freezing to death outside, and concerns with trash and animal waste in the streets, among other problems.
.@AOC is so rattled she thought this video was a good idea.
A lot of Democrats are going to feel much better about running against her. Starting with @SenSchumer
What a stunning unforced error. https://t.co/0q8DQCRhQA
— Tony Katz (@tonykatz) February 22, 2026
What does that have to do with Ocasio‑Cortez? Yes, it’s easy to mock her because she didn’t nail the delivery on an answer regarding geopolitical relations. But are we collectively mocking her because we don’t agree with her answer, or because she said “um” multiple times?
As for Trump, Ocasio‑Cortez argued in the Instagram video that the president had the same “if not a worse” answer about Taiwan.
“So ask yourself, why do you think the issues turn to that?” she asked. “And I’m going to tell you. It’s because, frankly, there are very few people who are actually willing to challenge a foreign policy establishment that continues to send people to war and bankrupt our country for the rich.”
