AOC Dodges Question on Defending Taiwan from China

Congresswoman struggles to give a clear answer at Munich Security Conference

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) stumbled over her words at the Munich Security Conference on Friday when asked whether the U.S. should defend Taiwan if China ever invades. Ocasio-Cortez avoided directly answering the question, saying the U.S. wants to avoid any such confrontation.

Why it matters

Ocasio-Cortez's response highlights the delicate geopolitical situation surrounding Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory. Her inability to clearly state whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan raises questions about the Biden administration's Taiwan policy and America's commitment to its allies in the region.

The details

During the conference, moderator Francine Lacqua of Bloomberg TV asked Ocasio-Cortez directly whether the U.S. should defend Taiwan if China invades. Ocasio-Cortez struggled to give a clear answer, saying "Um, you know, I think that this is such a, you know, I think that this is, this is of course a very longstanding policy of the United States." She added that the U.S. wants to "make sure that we never get to that point" and is working to "avoid any such confrontation."

  • The Munich Security Conference took place on February 13, 2026.

The players

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

A Democratic Congresswoman from New York who is known for her progressive policy positions.

Francine Lacqua

A moderator for Bloomberg TV who interviewed Ocasio-Cortez at the Munich Security Conference.

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What they’re saying

“Um, you know, I think that this is such a, you know, I think that this is, this is of course a very longstanding policy of the United States.”

— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Bloomberg TV)

The takeaway

Ocasio-Cortez's inability to clearly state whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan raises concerns about the Biden administration's Taiwan policy and America's commitment to its allies in the region, especially as tensions continue to escalate between the U.S. and China.