Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) continues to stoke fear and division, this time blaming sexism for Kamala Harris’ failure in the presidential race. In an emotionally charged Instagram video, Ocasio-Cortez painted a grim picture for the future of America under a potential second term of President Donald Trump. She warned of a “scary” and “challenging” time ahead, while offering her usual brand of dramatic rhetoric, as though the very fabric of the nation was unraveling.
“This is going to be a very, very difficult time,” Ocasio-Cortez declared in the video, recorded from her kitchen. She claimed that millions of Americans would face hardship in a nation supposedly under threat from “fascism” — a term that has become a go-to label for many on the left whenever Republicans succeed. AOC further claimed that the results of the election were a “setback” for Democrats, particularly those who claim to champion the working class. She acknowledged that Trump had garnered significant support from working-class voters, a demographic the left has historically taken for granted.
Rather than take a critical look at her party’s messaging, AOC deflected blame from the Harris campaign, instead attributing the loss to a deep-seated, national “sexism” that she believes influenced voters’ perceptions of the vice president. She even suggested that if Harris were a man, the outcome might have been different.
Though she reluctantly admitted that Trump’s populist promises — like tax cuts for workers and protection for Social Security — resonated with voters, AOC dismissed these appeals as “lies.” Nonetheless, she acknowledged that Trump’s clear, direct messaging effectively reached voters in a way that Democrats have struggled to replicate.
AOC’s fears of a second Trump term were not limited to economic policy. She warned that Trump would roll back climate change measures and hand more power to the wealthy elite, singling out tech billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos as examples. Additionally, she expressed concerns about Trump’s potential influence over federal health policy, particularly regarding vaccine regulations, referencing the views of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Despite her dire predictions, Ocasio-Cortez stressed the importance of unity among Democrats, urging her supporters to lean on each other and build stronger communities. Yet, her divisive rhetoric only serves to deepen the partisan divide. If anything, her commentary proves that the left continues to struggle with reconciling their radical progressive agenda with the everyday concerns of average Americans.
In contrast, Republicans can take comfort in the fact that their message is resonating with voters, especially those from the working class. As AOC wrings her hands over what she sees as an inevitable authoritarian future, conservatives are working to expand economic opportunity and safeguard freedoms that make America a beacon of hope for millions. With Republicans poised to maintain control of both the House and Senate, and a strong leader like Donald Trump at the helm, the left’s attempts to paint the future as bleak ring increasingly hollow.