WASHINGTON — Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has criticized New York City Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her “ignorant” and “tone-deaf” comments regarding Israel, suggesting they highlight her lack of preparedness for higher political aspirations, including a potential challenge to New York Senator Chuck Schumer in 2028.
In an interview with podcast host Sean Hannity, Fetterman expressed his disapproval of Ocasio-Cortez’s recent controversial statements made during a foreign-policy event in Munich. “Accusing Israel of genocide while you’re in Germany is not only tone-deaf but also ignorant of history,” Fetterman remarked, referencing her remarks last month.
Fetterman underscored the sensitivity of the topic by mentioning the Holocaust, in which over six million Jews were killed. He criticized Ocasio-Cortez’s use of the term “genocide” in the context of Israel, particularly during what he described as a “just war.”
His comments came during an interview on Fox News Media’s “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” where Fetterman noted that the issue was not solely about her poor response but also her overall approach to the complex issue.
Ocasio-Cortez’s appearance at the Munich Security Conference was seen as a test of her foreign policy knowledge amid rumors about her future political ambitions. However, her performance, marred by missteps such as incorrectly placing Venezuela below the equator, has drawn skepticism from critics regarding her readiness for more prominent roles.
Ultimately, her fumbles, such as erroneously claiming that Venezuela sits below the equator, fueled criticism from her detractors that she wasn’t ready for prime time.
The 36-year-old rep, who majored in international relations, has fired back at her critics by contending that she was demonstrating the importance of thinking before speaking.
Fetterman, who revealed that Senate Minority Leader Schumer leans on him, predicted that Ocasio-Cortez won’t challenge his buddy.
“She would never run,” Fetterman said when Hannity predicted that Ocasio-Cortez would crush Schumer in a 2028 primary.
“Either she’ll run for president, or she’ll just kind of continue to rise in” the House of Representatives, the Keystone State senator added.
During another portion of their conversation, Fetterman ripped into Democratic former Vice President Kamala Harris for calling President Trump a fascist.
“That’s just not true, and … that forces people to [be] like, ‘Hey, you must be a fascist, too, because you want’” him to win,” Fetterman said of Trump supporters.
“That makes it more difficult to have a better way forward.”
“That’s why I always refuse” to go there, Fetterman said.
Neither reps Ocasio-Cortez nor Harris responded Monday to Post requests for comment.
