'Huge Slap in the Face,' AOC Calls Out Senate Dems for 'Betrayal'

Ocasio-Cortez Criticizes Senate Democrats for Advancing GOP-Backed Funding Bill

Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) sharply criticized Senate Democrats after they proceeded with a vote on a House GOP-backed stopgap funding bill despite her urgent warnings against it.

Ocasio-Cortez had called on her party to reject the measure, labeling it a "bad idea" and a "mistake." Speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper on Thursday afternoon, she argued that recent public backlash at town halls demonstrated Americans’ dissatisfaction with the MAGA agenda. "American people, whether they are Republicans, independents, Democrats, are up in arms about Elon Musk and the actual gutting of federal agencies across the board," she stated. Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Schumer Defends Vote, Citing Concerns Over Government Shutdown

However, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) moved forward with the vote, reasoning that although the resolution was flawed, allowing Donald Trump to consolidate more power through a government shutdown would be a worse alternative. "Allowing Donald Trump to take more power via a government shutdown is a worse option," Schumer said, as reported by Semafor's Burgess Everett. Jack Gruber-USA TODAY

Ocasio-Cortez Expresses Frustration, Calls Senate Decision a ‘Betrayal’

Ocasio-Cortez was frustrated by the decision, condemning the move as a betrayal of Democratic lawmakers who had taken significant political risks to oppose Trump-aligned policies. "There are members of Congress who have won Trump-held districts in some of the most difficult territories in the United States; who walked the plank and took innumerable risks in order to defend the American people...just to see some Senate Democrats even consider acquiescing to Elon Musk. I think it is a huge slap in the face, and I think that there's a wide sense of betrayal," she said to reporters, as reported by Semafor’s Kadia Goba. Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Democratic Lawmakers Oppose Bill Over Spending Cuts and Agency Concerns

Democratic lawmakers have opposed the stopgap measure for several reasons, citing their exclusion from the negotiation process and the bill’s provisions that slash non-defense domestic spending while boosting military funding. Critics also argue that the legislation empowers former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk to dismantle key federal agencies or sidestep congressional directives. The White House / Wikimedia

Democrats Advocate for Temporary Funding Extension to Allow Further Negotiations

Many Democrats, including Ocasio-Cortez, have instead pushed for a 30-day temporary funding measure that would keep the government operational while allowing more time for negotiations. Matt Johnson / Wikimedia