President-elect Donald Trump expressed sympathy on December 18 over Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s failure to secure the leadership position of the House Oversight Committee, saying it was “too bad” that she lost the vote.
His comments, made on social media, quickly sparked a response from the liberal Congresswoman, who used the opportunity to take a dig at the conservative leader.
Ocasio-Cortez, 35, lost the vote to become the top-ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee on December 17 by a margin of 131-84 to Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va). Following Trump’s remark, she took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the post and humorously respond, saying, “Damn you know it’s bad when even Trump is feeling bad for me,” accompanied by a laughing emoji, reported Huff Post.
The race for the leadership position was also marked by comments from Rep. Connolly, 74, who denied that age played a role in his victory. “I’ve never had a shot. This is my shot, irrespective of my age. I have something to contribute still, and I want to do it,” Connolly said, defending his position against Ocasio-Cortez’s younger, progressive platform.
Ocasio-Cortez and Trump, both prominent figures in their respective parties, have long been on opposite ends of the political spectrum, regularly criticizing each other’s policies. Despite their differences, Trump’s remark of sympathy towards Ocasio-Cortez seemed to resonate with some conservatives on social media, who suggested that she should consider working with Trump in the future.
Tried my best. Sorry I couldn’t pull it through everyone – we live to fight another day. ♥️
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@aoc.bsky.social) December 17, 2024 at 10:56 PM
Several conservative voices on X responded to Trump’s post, calling for Ocasio-Cortez to reach out to the President-elect, potentially bridging the gap between their political ideologies. The exchange between Ocasio-Cortez and Trump reflects the ongoing polarization in American politics, with both figures continuing to influence the national discourse.