Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez struggled to give a clear answer Friday when asked whether the United States should commit troops to defend Taiwan if China were to move against the island.
The New York Democrat appeared on a panel at the Munich Security Conference alongside Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker. During the discussion on U.S. foreign policy, a moderator directly asked Ocasio-Cortez whether the United States should “commit U.S. troops to defend Taiwan” in the event of Chinese aggression.
“I think that, uh, this is such a — you know, I think that this is a, umm — this is, of course, a uh, a very longstanding, umm, policy of the United States,” Ocasio-Cortez began. “Uh, and I think that what we are hoping for is that we want to make sure we never get to that point, and we want to make sure 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.”
AOC is asked if the US should defend Taiwan in the event China invades. Her answer is a word salad disaster that would even make Kamala cringe: pic.twitter.com/jgfMWiSfmE
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) February 14, 2026
She did not directly say whether she supports committing U.S. forces to Taiwan’s defense.
Earlier in the panel, Ocasio-Cortez described U.S.–China tensions as more about “competition” than “conflict.” She said China is “an ascending global power” acting in its own interests and suggested that rhetoric in Washington can become “conflict-driven” depending on circumstances.
In a separate discussion at the conference focused on “the rise of populism,” Ocasio-Cortez also criticized what she called Western “hypocrisies” in foreign policy. She referenced “threatening our allies to colonize Greenland” and “looking the other way in a genocide,” arguing that such contradictions weaken democracies globally.
Her comments drew criticism online, with some commentators comparing her answers to those of former Vice President Kamala Harris, who faced scrutiny for unclear responses during past interviews and campaign appearances.
Whitmer also fielded questions about foreign policy during the panel. When asked about a potential resolution to the war between Ukraine and Russia, she attempted to defer to Whitaker before offering a brief response emphasizing Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity.
Both Ocasio-Cortez and Whitmer are viewed by some political observers as potential Democratic presidential contenders in 2028. Their appearances at the Munich forum marked a rare opportunity to address high-level foreign policy questions on an international stage.
The post AOC Spits Out Word Salad When Asked About China, Refuses To Say If U.S. Should Defend Taiwan appeared first on Real News Now.
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