Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi snapped at a reporter Wednesday in response to the suggestion that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York was the one truly driving the Democrats’ decision to vote against funding the federal government.
On Tuesday night, Democratic senators, under the leadership of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, voted against a continuing resolution to fund the government.
The final tally was 55-45, short of the 60 votes required to end debate on the legislation, which passed last month in the House, where only a straight majority vote was needed.
A reporter asked Pelosi on Wednesday, “There was a thought from the Republicans that AOC is directing this, and she said that senators are welcome to go to her office directly. Is she driving that?”
“Why are you saying such a ridiculous thing?” Pelosi shot back.
“I’m just quoting directly from what AOC said,” the reporter replied, “Do you think there is any credibility to that?”
“She’s not directing this,” Pelosi asserted, adding, “She’s wonderful. She’s a real team player and the rest of that.”
“You started by saying, ‘Republicans say’ that she’s directing this. She is not. [New York Rep.] Hakeem Jeffries is. This takes a lot of experience, a lot of unity from the caucus, in terms of the point of view,” Pelosi explained.
.@SpeakerPelosi suggests @AOC lacks ‘experience’ to be Democratic leader in government shutdown. https://t.co/NhbhkYQFqQ pic.twitter.com/cv9jJ4LrUY
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) October 1, 2025
Does AOC have more influence in the Democratic party than senior leadership wants to admit?
The speaker emerita concluded by observing that Ocasio-Cortez is “an articulate spokesperson for her point of view; Hakeem Jeffries is leading this.”
Speaking from the White House briefing room Wednesday, Vice President J.D. Vance told reporters that one reason the Democrats decided to shut down the government is “they want to give health care benefits to illegal aliens.”
“That is true,” he continued. “They gave us legislative text that would have undone us cutting off health care benefits for illegal aliens.”
“But the reality here — and let’s be honest about the politics — is that Chuck Schumer is terrified that he’s going to get a primary challenge from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The reason why the American people’s government is shut down is because Chuck Schumer is listening to the far-left radicals in his own party because he’s terrified of a primary challenge,” Vance said.
.@VP: “The reason why the American People’s government is shut down is because Chuck Schumer is listening to the Far Left radicals in his own party because he’s terrified of a primary challenge.” pic.twitter.com/8rfiGa8RdH
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 1, 2025
On Tuesday night, Ocasio-Cortez told MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, “If [GOP] senators think that we’re having a shutdown because of me, they’re free to enter my office and negotiate.”
If Republicans want to blame their shutdown on me, they are more than welcome to come to my office and negotiate anytime.
Unlike them, I won’t let kids and hard working people get cut off their insulin and chemo on my watch.
They know it, too. Door’s open fellas. Your call. https://t.co/q1FsbiuqyH
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 1, 2025
She added, “So come strike a deal with me, if that’s what they think is really going on.”
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