JUST IN: Ocasio Cortez, Newsom Criticize Trump Admin At Munich Conference

New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) delivered remarks at the 62nd Munich Security Conference in Germany, where they criticized President Donald Trump’s foreign policy approach and addressed broader global economic issues.

Newsom’s appearance drew attention as he spoke about the direction of U.S. leadership on the international stage, even as California continues to grapple with ongoing challenges at home, including budget pressures, homelessness, and public safety concerns.

They were joined at the conference by several Democratic lawmakers who advocated for a global wealth tax during discussions on economic inequality and international cooperation.

Ocasio-Cortez has aligned herself with progressive lawmakers in Congress on economic policy and has supported similar tax proposals domestically.

During a panel discussion, Ocasio-Cortez was asked about U.S. policy toward Taiwan and whether the United States should commit troops if China were to take military action.

The exchange unfolded as follows:

INTERVIEWER: “Should the US actually commit U.S. troops to defend Taiwan if China were to move?”

AOC: “Um…

You know, I think that, uh…

“This is such a, uh, you know, I think that this is a, um…

“This is, of course, a very long standing policy of the United States, 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 response centered on long-standing U.S. policy and emphasized efforts to prevent escalation or direct military confrontation.

The United States has historically maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding Taiwan, recognizing the One China policy while supporting Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities.

Ocasio-Cortez has not formally declared plans to run for higher office, though she is frequently mentioned as a potential candidate for Senate or national office in future election cycles.

The Munich Security Conference annually brings together world leaders, lawmakers, military officials, and policy experts to discuss global security, defense, and economic cooperation.

Cortez was the center of controversy in January when she accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents of “assassinating a young mother in the street” during a heated exchange with reporters. The comments followed the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Mediaite reported.

An ICE agent identified as Jonathan Ross shot and killed Good on Wednesday during a disputed incident that was captured on video.

Trump and senior administration officials have publicly criticized Good since the shooting while defending the actions of the agent involved.

Ocasio-Cortez was asked Friday on Capitol Hill to respond to Republican claims that the shooting occurred because Good interfered with ICE operations.

“What would you say to your Republican colleagues, just the fact that they say that if these people would follow the law and not get involved with ICE and try and disrupt them collecting people who are here illegally?” a reporter asked.

After asking for the question to be repeated, Ocasio-Cortez responded sharply.

“I would not say that assassinating a young mother of three in the street is part of ICE’s mandate,” she said.

“ICE specifically has a mandate that has nothing to do with going after U.S. citizens,” she said.

Ocasio-Cortez urged the public to review the video footage of the incident.