Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., a member of The Squad of progressive House Democrats, appeared Friday at the Munich Security Conference, a move some analysts view as an effort to bolster her foreign policy credentials ahead of a possible 2028 presidential run.
Ocasio-Cortez is part of a bipartisan U.S. delegation that organizers said includes more than 50 members of Congress. She was expected to serve as a counterpoint to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is set to deliver a major speech Saturday.
Ocasio-Cortez did not directly address her presidential ambitions during a roundtable discussion on the rise of populism. She laughed off a related question from moderator Katrin Bennhold, a New York Times international correspondent.
"So, when you run for president, are you going to impose a wealth tax or a billionaire's tax?" Bennhold asked, drawing laughter.
"I don't think that, um, I, I don't think that anyone, and that we don't have to wait for any one president to impose a wealth tax," Ocasio-Cortez said, smiling. "I think that it needs to be done expeditiously."
Ocasio-Cortez also said President Donald Trump and Rubio were "looking to withdraw the United States from the entire world so that we can turn into an age of authoritarianism" as they sought to "carve out a world where Trump can command the Western Hemisphere and Latin America as his personal sandbox, where [Russian President Vladimir] Putin can saber rattle around Europe and try to bully our own allies there."
Ocasio-Cortez's visit to Munich comes amid a government funding dispute that could imperil the Department of Homeland Security. She was scheduled to appear later Friday on a panel about the future of foreign policy along with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, another potential 2028 Democrat presidential candidate.
Speculation about 2028 presidential bids also surrounds other Democrats attending the conference, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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