LIZ PEEK: AOC fumbles foreign policy test as Rubio shines in Munich

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are each hopeful of turning into their celebration’s presidential nominee in 2028. They each have an opportunity. The oddsmakers place the New York congressman second behind California Governor Gavin Newsom within the race to develop into the Democratic nominee, whereas President Trump, when requested whether or not Vice President JD Vance is his chosen successor, has urged greater than as soon as that Rubio can be within the working.

Each not too long ago spoke on the Munich Safety Convention. Whereas Secretary of State Rubio obtained well-deserved applause from policymakers at residence and overseas for his speech, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez confirmed she wasn’t prepared for prime time — not even shut.

In what may very well be a preview of the presidential race two years from now, Rubio and Ocasio-Cortez confronted off on geopolitics. For Rubio, the event was one other alternative to articulate President Trump’s imaginative and prescient for international coverage – ​​a imaginative and prescient that embraces American management powered by a robust navy, a robust commerce agenda, power independence and a sturdy financial system. And as we have now seen, the Trump White Home doesn’t hesitate to deploy that military.

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Trump has additionally refused to give up his nationwide sovereignty to world treaties just like the Paris Local weather Settlement or establishments just like the United Nations and the World Well being Group — establishments he sees as anti-American. Within the case of the United Nations, the current appointment of Abbas Tajik, the Iranian consultant to the United Nations, as vice-chairman of the sixty fifth session of the Fee for Social Growth – ​​a bunch mentioned to be “charged with selling democracy, gender equality, tolerance and non-violence,” as one critic put it – additional proves the degradation of the integrity of the establishment. Iran, which solely not too long ago crushed protests and slaughtered tens of hundreds of its personal harmless, unarmed civilians, ought to be expelled from the UN and never rewarded. And positively not congratulated by UN Secretary Basic António Guterres on the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution – which he did whilst his personal Human Rights Council handed a decision condemning the mass killings.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY., speaks throughout the Munich Safety Convention (MSC) in Munich, Germany on February 13, 2026. (Liesa Johannssen/Reuters)

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Rubio’s speech was defiant, calling out European allies for succumbing to local weather zeal, encouraging mass migration, exporting industrial self-sufficiency and investing “in large welfare states on the expense of preserving the flexibility to defend themselves.” Nevertheless it was additionally conciliatory, emphasizing that “we’re spiritually and culturally linked,” and discussing the numerous ties that join the USA and Europe. It was an inspiring name for unity and progress, assuring the appreciative viewers that “our future is and can all the time be intertwined with yours.”

The Wall Avenue Journal Editorial Board described Rubio’s speech as borrowed from Ronald Reagan’s playbook, arguing that Trump’s “best failure as president is that he’s unwilling or unable to articulate his bigger rules.” I’d argue that Trump is placing these rules into follow coherently and constantly, and that Rubio has brilliantly summarized the Trump Doctrine.

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In the meantime, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez delivered remarks at a discussion board on the sidelines of the Munich convention, reminding us why she should not be anyplace close to the Oval Workplace. Former Vice President Kamala Harris launched Individuals to the magic of phrase salad — the countless use of language meaning nothing whereas masking up huge gaps of ignorance — however AOC has perfected the artwork.

Ocasio-Cortez is named a fierce critic of Israel, however is in any other case not identified for her geopolitical views, having spent a lot of her profession railing towards companies and the evil empire. But when she needs to run for president, it is essential that she demonstrates some primary international coverage abilities. Therefore the journey to Munich. Sadly for her, the foray into the world of diplomacy didn’t go properly. Even The New York Occasions needed to admit that she had some “shaky moments.”

Requested whether or not the USA ought to come to Taiwan’s help if China tried to overcome the island, Ocasio-Cortez hesitated for a number of uncomfortable minutes. Even the outline of the left-wing anti-Trump Bloomberg, whose reporter had requested the query, mentioned the reply was “failed,” writing, “Usually, Ocasio-Cortez would reply rapidly with phrases and say, ‘That is a kind of, you realize, I believe this can be a, uh, that is in fact a, uh, a long-standing, uh, coverage of the USA.'” Hilariously, the piece added that AOC was regrouping with what it known as a “robust response,” saying the USA ought to “keep away from such a confrontation and for that query to even come up.” That is convincing?

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The Occasions additionally admitted that the Munich look “demonstrated Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s relative inexperience in international coverage,” and that she “generally struggled to formulate succinct solutions.” However the Occasions excused her incapability and described the questions requested as “probing and particular.” Asking about her coverage in direction of Taiwan is hardly ‘intrusive’; this situation, along with our relationship with Israel, is of elementary significance.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks on the Munich Safety Convention in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, February 14, 2026. (Alex Kraus/Bloomberg/Getty Photos)

Ocasio-Cortez additionally conflated the transatlantic partnership, calling it the “Trans-Pacific Partnership,” and mocked Rubio’s declare that American cowboy tradition got here from Spain. (It did.) However the reply was a unique one she gave, enthusiastically endorsed by the Occasions, about President Trump’s international coverage: “They need to withdraw the USA from the whole world in order that we will flip into an period of authoritarians who can create a world through which Donald Trump can run the Western Hemisphere and Latin America as his private sandbox, the place Putin can saber-ram by means of Europe.”

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Sure, AOC, Trump is withdrawing the US from the “complete world” by attempting to finish the battle between Ukraine and Russia, free the folks of Iran, Venezuela and Cuba from authoritarian regimes, confront China, shield Christians in Nigeria, strengthen Western protection capabilities and pursue peace within the Center East. Former President Joe Biden declared that “America is again,” however did nothing to guard our pursuits around the globe.

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Below President Trump, the US is just not solely ‘again’, but in addition within the lead and making convincing progress.

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