Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warns that Trump doesn't know 'how to deal with a girl from the Bronx'


Democratic congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez thinks her Bronx roots will be working in her favor.
Ocasio-Cortez appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday to talk about her big win in Tuesday's primary in New York's 14th District, explaining what democratic socialism means to her.
The political newcomer is poised to become the youngest member of Congress after she beat incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) by an overwhelming margin. She said she pulled it off by getting infrequent voters out to the polls, describing an instance when she met two 19-year-olds who had just voted for her. "I don't think polling is always right," she said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
She issued a brief warning to President Trump, who tweeted a harsh farewell to Crowley. "Are you going to be nicer to the president?" Colbert asked. "Well, you know, the president is from Queens, with all due respect," she responded. "I don't think he knows how to deal with a girl from the Bronx."
Ocasio-Cortez also told Colbert about her democratic socialist agenda, explaining that she believes "no person in America should be too poor to live." Policies that guarantee health care, education, and housing for everybody can help all citizens to "lead a dignified life," she explained.
Watch the full interview below, including the story behind the moment she found out she won. Summer Meza
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Floral afternoon teas to enjoy during the Chelsea Flower Show
The Week Recommends These are the prettiest spots in the city to savour a traditional treat
-
How to plan a trip along the Mississippi River
The Week Recommends See this vital waterway from the Great River Road
-
Sudoku medium: May 15, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Trump vows to lift Syria sanctions
speed read The move would help the new government stabilize the country following years of civil war
-
Senate rejects Trump's Library of Congress takeover
speed read Congress resisted the president's attempts to control 'the legislative branch's premier research body'
-
Hamas frees US hostage in deal sidelining Israel
speed read Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier, was the final living US citizen held by the militant group
-
White Afrikaners land in US as Trump-declared refugees
speed read An exception was made to Trump's near-total ban on admitting refugees for the white South Africans
-
Qatar luxury jet gift clouds Trump trip to Mideast
speed read Qatar is said to be presenting Trump with a $400 million plane, which would be among the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the US government
-
Trump taps Fox News' Pirro for DC attorney post
speed read The president has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, replacing acting US Attorney Ed Martin
-
Trump, UK's Starmer outline first post-tariff deal
speed read President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer struck a 'historic' agreement to eliminate some of the former's imposed tariffs
-
Fed leaves rates unchanged as Powell warns on tariffs
speed read The Federal Reserve says the risks of higher inflation and unemployment are increasing under Trump's tariffs