Vice President JD Vance didn’t hold back when responding to Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez’s widely mocked performance at the recent Munich Security Conference — and his critique was as sharp as it was public.
Vance, appearing on Fox News, described one of Ocasio-Cortez’s moments in Munich as “the most uncomfortable 20 seconds of television I’ve ever seen.” His comments reflect broader Republican criticism after the New York Democrat struggled to answer basic foreign policy questions on the world stage.
At the conference, Ocasio-Cortez — long discussed by some allies as a potential 2028 presidential contender — was asked whether the United States should defend Taiwan if China invaded. Rather than respond with a clear position, she offered halting, unfocused remarks about longstanding policy and the hope of avoiding confrontation, leaving observers puzzled.
Vance said her response highlighted a deeper problem. “Does anybody really believe that AOC has very thoughtful ideas about the global world order or about what the United States should do with our policy in Asia or our policy in Europe? No,” he told Fox News.
He also criticized her broader approach to foreign policy, suggesting she was repeating slogans rather than offering substantive views. “This is a person who is mouthing the slogans that somebody else gave her,” Vance said, asserting that Ocasio-Cortez crumbled when asked to step outside prepared talking points.
One of the gaffes that drew particular attention was her comment about Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. During her remarks, she incorrectly stated that Venezuela lies “below the equator,” even as she criticized Trump administration policies. That error added fuel to the backlash online and among Republican figures.
President Trump himself also weighed in, calling Ocasio-Cortez’s performance “not a good look” for the United States. He lumped her together with others whose appearances in Munich he said reflected poorly on the country, contrasting them with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s widely praised speech.
Vance’s critique underscores how foreign policy missteps on the world stage can quickly become political liabilities back home. For Ocasio-Cortez, whose profile has grown sharply in national Democratic politics, the Munich moment has become a focal point for critics questioning her readiness to tackle complex international issues. Whether this will dim her future ambitions remains to be seen — but for now, her performance has given Republican leaders like Vance ample material to seize in media appearances.