Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) responded to President Donald Trump’s recent praise of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s decision to back the House GOP funding bill. This bill has caused a major divide among House Democrats, with many now calling on AOC to challenge Schumer for his Senate seat in 2028.
Trump took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his approval of Schumer’s move. In his post, he congratulated Schumer for making “the right thing” decision, describing it as requiring “guts” and “courage.” Trump elaborated, writing, “The big Tax Cuts, L.A. fire fix, Debt Ceiling Bill, and so much more, is coming. We should all work together on that very dangerous situation. A non pass would be a Country destroyer, approval will lead us to new heights. Again, really good and smart move by Senator Schumer. This could lead to something big for the USA, a whole new direction and beginning! DJT.”
Trump’s comments were notable for their rare praise of a Democratic leader. Schumer’s decision to support the House GOP funding bill has, however, sparked backlash within his own party. The support for the “horrific” bill marked a breaking point for many House Democrats, who view the move as a step too far toward compromise with Republicans.
During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, AOC was asked whether she would challenge Schumer for his Senate seat in 2028. She redirected the conversation toward the larger implications of Schumer’s decision.
“I think that what we need right now is a united Senate Democratic Caucus that can stand up for this country and not vote for cloture and not vote for this bill,” she said. AOC emphasized the importance of Democrats holding firm against Republican demands and avoiding empowering figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk, calling the situation “dangerous and reckless.”
Ocasio-Cortez also warned that the party’s strength in leadership would be defined by their unity in moments like these, where political strategy is tested. “The strength that we have is in this moment reconciliation. And all of these Republicans do not need Democratic votes for that. They need it for this,” she explained, stressing the critical nature of standing strong against what she sees as dangerous political moves. She added, “I cannot urge enough how bad of an idea it is to empower and enable Donald Trump and Elon Musk in this moment.”
Watch the full CNN clip below for Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks.
Tapper: What do you think of the job that Schumer is doing? Would you ever challenge him, do you think?
AOC: pic.twitter.com/qsECQqctHV
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 14, 2025
