Vice President JD Vance mocked Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday after the New York Democrat stumbled through basic foreign policy questions at the Munich Security Conference. Appearing on "The Story with Martha MacCallum," Vance reacted to a clip of Ocasio-Cortez struggling for 20 seconds to define U.S. policy regarding a potential invasion of Taiwan. "Martha, you bring me on your show, you show me the most uncomfortable 20 seconds of television I’ve ever seen," Vance remarked while laughing.
Vance argued that the congresswoman’s performance proves she is merely "mouthing slogans" provided by handlers rather than holding thoughtful opinions. He noted that many Washington politicians fall apart the moment they are asked to go "outside the lines" of their prepared scripts. "If I had given that answer, I would say you know what, maybe I should go read a book about China and Taiwan before I go out on the world stage again," the Vice President added.
The "train wreck" weekend for Ocasio-Cortez extended beyond the Taiwan stumble and into basic geography and history errors. During a TEDx event in Berlin on Sunday, she falsely claimed that Venezuela is located "below the equator." She also attempted to fact-check Secretary of State Marco Rubio by dismissing his claim that American cowboy culture originated in Spain, a move historians called a "self-destruction" of facts.
Rubio had previously explained that Spanish settlers brought horses and cattle to the Americas in the 14th and 15th centuries, laying the foundation for the cowboy archetype. Ocasio-Cortez laughed off the historical fact, insisting that Mexicans and descendants of enslaved peoples "would like to have a word on that." Critics were quick to point out that Spanish colonial ranching techniques were exactly what taught North American populations the trade.
Ocasio-Cortez later blamed conservative media for making her gaffes go viral, claiming they were trying to "distract from the substance" of her message. However, political analysts noted that even her Democratic allies remained silent following the disastrous international debut. While the congresswoman did not rule out a 2028 presidential run during the conference, many observers say she proved herself "unfit" for the world stage.
The Vice President remained skeptical that Ocasio-Cortez would show the humility needed to study the issues before her next global appearance. He contrasted her "thin" policy knowledge with the Trump administration's "America First" agenda, which he says prioritizes national interests over "theoretical" elite discussions. As the 2028 field begins to take shape, Vance made it clear that "wokeness" is no substitute for a basic understanding of geography and global power.