AOC Drops the Hammer on Fellow Progressive: ‘You Aren’t Talented Enough to be Relevant With the Truth’

Photo by: Marijan Murat/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) pulled no punches in ridiculing fellow progressive Ana Kasparian, the controversial longtime co-host of The Young Turks.

The spat began with Ocasio-Cortez condemning the recent assassination plot against pro-Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani, which the FBI and NYPD foiled.

“Today, the FBI and NYPD disrupted a plot by a member of a pro-Israel terrorist organization to assassinate Nerdeen Kiswani,” Ocasio-Cortez posted to social media, adding:

This is a reprehensible act of political violence. There is no place for it in our city nor our country.

I am thankful Ms. Kiswani is safe and the assailant is under arrest.

Kasparian later replied to the post, “You should vote to send Israel more money for weapons!”

“I never have. Feel free to continue lying publicly, though. Those checks don’t cash themselves, and you aren’t talented enough to be relevant with the truth,” hit back Ocasio-Cortez, apparently accusing Kasparian of building her media career by pushing mistruths.

X users asked Grok to fact-check Kasparian and Ocasio-Cortez’s rival claims about the New York congresswoman’s voting record. “No, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has never voted to approve weapons sales or major military aid packages to Israel,” replied Grok, adding:

Congressional records show she voted Nay on the 2024 Israel Security Supplemental (H.R. 8034) and similar bills funding weapon purchases. She cosponsored 2025 joint resolutions (e.g., H.J.Res.85, S.J.Res.33) to disapprove proposed foreign military sales to Israel.

On defensive systems like Iron Dome in 2025 defense appropriations (H.R.4016), she voted against the overall bill (including its funding) and against an amendment to cut it—arguing it doesn’t halt offensive aid—but has not voted yes on any approval of sales or offensive transfers.

Kasparian defended her claim late Sunday night, writing, “Sure, I might be untalented. Up to others to decide. But I can deduce that voting ‘no’ on legislation that would cut arms to Israel amounts to supporting U.S. funded arms to Israel…as they carry out war crimes and atrocities daily.” Kasparian continued, taking a dig at U.S. support for Israel’s defensive missile shields:

Those crimes are committed with zero fear of blowback thanks to the defensive capabilities Americans are forced to bankroll.

In addition to voting no on that legislation last year, in 2021 you originally (and correctly) voted “no” on a bill to funnel an extra $1 billion to Israel on top of the $3.8 Billion we already send them every year. You got a little pressure from your corrupt colleagues, changed your vote to “present” and then wept about it…literally. Is that what political “talent” looks like?

Israel was enjoying an economic surplus that year. We, on the other hand, were not.

As for cashing checks, I’d respectfully ask you to remember who pays yours. It’s the people you’re lying to right now.

Kasparian has long raised eyebrows and been accused of pushing anti-Semitic tropes. In 2025, she replied “correct” to a social media user who wrote, “Supporters of Israel in Congress are ‘scum’ who should be ‘tried for treason.’” She has also long posted comments like “Our country is occupied and controlled by the Israelis,” while more recently teaming up with commentators like Tucker Carlson to oppose U.S. and Israeli foreign policy.

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