Ocasio-Cortez Defends Munich Conference Response on Taiwan Policy

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fired back at critics who questioned her foreign policy acumen following a hesitant response about Taiwan defense at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month.

In an emotional late-night Instagram Live session, the New York Democrat addressed the widespread criticism of her February 13 appearance, where she appeared to struggle when asked about America’s commitment to defending Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.

“If you think I don’t understand foreign policy because, 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,” said a visibly frustrated Ocasio-Cortez, her voice notably raspy. “Perhaps the problem is you’ve gotten adjusted to a president that never thinks before he speaks.”

The controversy stems from a moment during the prestigious international security conference when Ocasio-Cortez was questioned about U.S. policy toward Taiwan. Her response, filled with verbal pauses and hesitations, quickly went viral on social media platforms.

“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 before continuing, “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.”

The Taiwan question touches on one of the most delicate diplomatic balances in American foreign policy. The United States maintains a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding Taiwan’s defense, officially recognizing the One China Policy while simultaneously providing Taiwan with defensive weapons and implicit security guarantees. The Biden administration has occasionally signaled stronger support for Taiwan than previous administrations, creating ongoing tension with Beijing.

Vice President JD Vance, who could potentially face Ocasio-Cortez in a future presidential election, seized on the moment. In an appearance on Fox News’ “The Story With Martha MacCallum,” Vance delivered a scathing assessment.

“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 said. “That was embarrassing. 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.'”

The incident has sparked wider discussion about Ocasio-Cortez’s potential political future. At 34, the progressive congresswoman has been mentioned as a possible Democratic presidential contender for 2028, though she has not publicly expressed such ambitions. Critics have questioned whether her foreign policy credentials would be sufficient for higher office.

The Munich Security Conference, established in 1963, has evolved into one of the world’s premier forums for international security policy discussions. Participation by American legislators at such venues has taken on greater significance amid rising geopolitical tensions with China and Russia.

Taiwan remains a potential flashpoint in U.S.-China relations. Beijing considers the self-governing island a breakaway province and has never renounced the use of force to achieve reunification. The United States, while not formally recognizing Taiwan as an independent nation, maintains extensive unofficial relations and has historically opposed any attempt to alter Taiwan’s status by force.

As of now, neither Ocasio-Cortez’s office nor the conference organizers have issued formal statements addressing the controversy.