Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez committed to opposing "any spending on arms for Israel, including so-called defensive capabilities" for Israel, according to a new report.
Peter Sterner, editor of City and State NY, said in a social media publication that the lawmaker made the remarks during a Democratic Socialists of America endorsement call.
BREAKING: At tonight’s NYC-DSA electoral forum, @AOC committed to voting against “any spending on arms for Israel, including so-called defensive capabilities.” https://t.co/2rbVVfX00D
— Peter Sterne (@petersterne) April 1, 2026
"The Israeli government should be able to finance their own weapons if they seek to arm themselves," she reportedly said.
Israeli outlet Haaretz recalled that while AOC has not voted to increase funding for military aid to the country, she did vote against an amendment introduced by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to cut funding for the Iron Dome. The initiative was supported by fellow Democrats Ilhan Omar, Al Green, Summer Lee and Rashida Tlaib.
Back then, she justified her vote by saying that the amendment did "nothing to cut off offensive aid to Israel nor end the flow of U.S. munitions being used in Gaza."
"What it does do is cut off defensive Iron Dome capacities while allowing the actual bombs killing Palestinians to continue. I have long stated that I do not believe that adding to the death count of innocent victims to this war is constructive to its end. That is a simple and clear difference of opinion that has long been established." The reported remarks break with that stance.
AOC has also criticized the war in Iran, saying President Donald Trump has "plunged the war into major global instability."
Speaking to Meidas Touch at the Capitol, the lawmaker claimed that the "vast majority of Americans are against a war with Iran."
"Two things can be true at the same time: We can acknowledge the brutal reality of the Iranian regime and their murdering of protesters. And we can also know for sure that a forever war will not resolve that issue," she added.
