AOC Dodges Taiwan Question At Munich Security Conference

When America’s adversaries are watching, clarity matters. Unfortunately, clarity was in short supply when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took the stage at the Munich Security Conference and was asked a simple question about China and Taiwan.

Should the United States commit troops to defend Taiwan if China moves to take it?

Instead of offering a firm position, Ocasio-Cortez drifted into a halting, meandering response about longstanding policy and hopes to avoid confrontation. For voters concerned about U.S. national security and China’s growing aggression, the exchange raised more questions than it answered.

The panel, which included Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker, was meant to focus on foreign policy challenges. But when the moderator pressed Ocasio-Cortez directly on defending Taiwan, she pivoted toward vague aspirations about avoiding conflict.

That’s a problem because China is not operating in vague terms.

The Chinese Communist Party has repeatedly stated its intention to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control, by force if necessary. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, China has conducted record numbers of military flights into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone in recent years. In 2023 alone, Taiwan reported more than 1,700 such incursions.

Taiwan is not just a diplomatic talking point. It is central to global economic stability. The island produces more than 60% of the world’s semiconductors and over 90% of advanced microchips through companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Any disruption would ripple across the U.S. economy, from automobiles to smartphones to military systems.

Congress has already acted to strengthen deterrence. The Taiwan Relations Act, passed in 1979, commits the United States to provide Taiwan with defensive arms. In 2022, Congress approved $10 billion in military assistance for Taiwan as part of broader efforts to counter China.

Yet when asked whether U.S. troops should defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, Ocasio-Cortez framed the issue as one of “competition” rather than “conflict,” suggesting Washington rhetoric can become too conflict-driven.

That framing may resonate in activist circles. It does not reassure allies in the Indo-Pacific.

For decades, U.S. policy has operated under what’s known as “strategic ambiguity” deliberately avoiding a clear public guarantee of military intervention while signaling strong support for Taiwan’s defense.

But ambiguity is not the same as confusion.

When lawmakers appear unable or unwilling to articulate America’s stance on defending Taiwan, it risks weakening deterrence. Beijing closely monitors political signals from Washington. Inconsistent messaging can be interpreted as hesitation.

Recent polling from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs shows that 62% of Americans support defending Taiwan if China invades. Support rises significantly among voters who view China as the greatest long-term threat to U.S. national security a view now held by a majority of Americans, according to Pew Research.

This is not a fringe issue. It is a defining national security question.

Ocasio-Cortez was also criticized for remarks on “the rise of populism,” where she referenced a “rules-based order” and “hypocrisies” in Western foreign policy without clearly outlining a coherent strategy. Critics quickly drew comparisons to former Vice President Kamala Harris, whose public comments on foreign affairs often left audiences puzzled.

Governor Whitmer, widely viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender, also struggled when asked how to resolve the war between Russia and Ukraine, deferring to Ambassador Whitaker on specifics.

These moments matter.

According to a 2024 Gallup survey, only 28% of Americans say they have a “great deal” of confidence in Congress to handle international problems. Meanwhile, China’s military budget has increased by more than 7% annually in recent years, now second only to the United States globally.

America’s adversaries are not slowing down. China’s navy is now the largest in the world by number of ships. Its cyber capabilities are expanding. Its influence operations span continents.

In that environment, elected officials seeking higher office should be able to answer fundamental questions:

• Should the United States defend Taiwan?

• What is the threshold for military intervention?

• How should America balance deterrence and diplomacy with China?

Those aren’t abstract academic exercises. They are real-world decisions that could shape the global balance of power for decades.

The Munich Security Conference is one of the world’s premier forums for discussing global security. When American leaders speak there, allies listen and adversaries do too.

If Democrats hope to convince voters they are prepared to lead on national security, moments like this won’t help.

Share this article and subscribe to our subscribe to our newsletter for more analysis on America’s national security challenges.