U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has urged the Democratic Party to embrace a bold, working-class agenda to counter President Donald Trump’s policies, which she argues are designed to benefit billionaires and corporations. Speaking on Jon Stewart’s podcast The Weekly Show, the New York congresswoman called for Democrats to distance themselves from corporate interests and reconnect with “everyday people” to regain the trust of working-class voters.
Trump, who secured significant support from working-class voters during his re-election campaign, has faced criticism for policies that favour the wealthy. His close relationships with tech billionaires like Elon Musk, the extension of 2017 tax cuts for the rich, and deregulation promises to oil executives highlight the gap between his rhetoric and his actions, according to Ocasio-Cortez.
“We need to talk to people directly,” she said. “There need to be Democrats who walk the walk and talk the talk. Hypocrisy within our own party is what gets exploited by Republicans.”
Ocasio-Cortez pointed to insider trading by lawmakers as a prime example of this hypocrisy. She criticised members of Congress who use privileged information to trade stocks, particularly in industries like defence and pharmaceuticals, where substantial profits are at stake. In 2022, members of Congress reportedly traded up to $113 million in shares of Pentagon contractors, with several prominent Democrats among the most active traders.
“People aren’t stupid,” Ocasio-Cortez stated bluntly. “Do you really think they don’t see this? And yet we act like only Republicans are corrupt. Give me a break.”
Despite policies that often undermine labour rights, oppose raising the minimum wage, and weaken protections for working-class Americans, Trump has managed to solidify his support among voters earning less than $100,000 per year. Meanwhile, wealthier voters have increasingly shifted towards the Democratic Party.
“We’ve been chasing affluent voters and making concessions while hoping that working people don’t notice,” she said. “It’s time for Democrats to be brawlers for the working class.”
Ocasio-Cortez highlighted the need for a progressive agenda that prioritises working families. She has been a staunch advocate for the Green New Deal, which seeks to address the climate crisis while creating millions of green energy jobs, and has championed policies such as tuition-free public college and Medicare for All. These policies, she noted, are key to demonstrating that Democrats stand unequivocally for the people.
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Reflecting on Trump’s Cabinet appointments and the Democratic Party’s response, Ocasio-Cortez suggested that the party is grappling with internal divisions and an unclear strategy. “We’re obviously in a bit of disarray,” an unnamed Democratic senator admitted to the publication Semafor, noting a lack of consensus on lessons to be drawn from the election.
For Ocasio-Cortez, the solution lies in prioritising the needs of working people above all else. Her remarks on Stewart’s podcast coincided with a message she sent to supporters, in which she criticised the influence of tech billionaires at Trump’s inauguration while many elected officials were “kicked to the curb.”
“You’re getting ripped off,” she told her supporters. “All of us are going to be getting ripped off for the next four years, but what do we do about it? The Trump trifecta is here, and so are their billionaire donors. It’s time for our movement to push harder than ever.”
The congresswoman’s message to Democrats was clear: reconnect with the working class by addressing their economic and social concerns, and stop prioritising the interests of the wealthy elite. “If we don’t step up, someone else will—and it won’t be in the interest of everyday people,” she concluded.
