WATCH: AOC ‘Holds Back Tears’ In Bizarre Clip Defending Her Disastrous Showing In Munich

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is pushing back after taking heat for her halting response to a question on Taiwan at the Munich Security Conference, accusing critics of holding her to a double standard compared with President Donald Trump.

An emotional Ocasio-Cortez addressed the backlash during a late-night Instagram Live video that quickly spread across social media.

“If you think I don’t understand foreign policy, because of out of hours of discourse about international affairs, I pause to think about one of the most sensitive geopolitical issues that currently exist on earth, I’m afraid the issue is not my understanding, but perhaps the problem is you’ve gotten adjusted to a president that never thinks before he speaks,” a raspy-voiced Ocasio-Cortez said.

The controversy erupted after the New York Democrat struggled through an answer when asked whether the United States would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.

“Um, you know, I think that this is such a, you know, I think that this is a um — this is, of course, a, um, very long-standing, um, policy of the United States,” she said, pausing repeatedly.

“And I think what we are hoping for is that we want to make sure that we never get to that point, and we want to make sure that we are moving in all of our economic, research and our global positions to avoid any such confrontation and for that question to even arise.”

The exchange ignited criticism from conservative commentators, with some questioning Ocasio-Cortez’s readiness for higher office as early speculation swirls about a possible 2028 Democratic presidential primary bid.

Vice President JD Vance, viewed as a potential Republican contender in 2028, weighed in on the remarks during an appearance on Fox News.

“I think it’s a person who doesn’t know what she actually thinks, and I’ve seen this way too much in Washington with politicians: Where they’re given lines and, when you ask them to go outside the lines they were given, they completely fall apart,” Vance told “The Story With Martha MacCallum.”

“That was embarrassing,” he continued. “If I had given that answer I would say, ‘You know what? Maybe you ought to go read a book about China and Taiwan before I go out on the world stage again.’ I hope that Congresswoman Cortez has the same humility. I’m skeptical.”

Ocasio-Cortez’s defenders argue that the Taiwan question touches one of the most delicate flashpoints in global politics, where even slight rhetorical shifts can carry diplomatic consequences. Her critics counter that the moment underscored concerns about her command of foreign policy under pressure.

The episode adds a fresh wrinkle to the ongoing debate over experience, messaging and media scrutiny facing high-profile members of Congress.

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