Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D.N.Y.) has recently been suggested as a potential candidate for the 2028 presidential race. Over the weekend, she expressed disagreement with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s remarks made at the Munich Security Conference.
Unfortunately, rather than clearly addressing Rubio’s comments, Ocasio-Cortez seemed to reveal a lack of historical understanding.
Rubio’s Address
Last year, Vice President J.D. Vance angered some European officials with his speech at the Munich Security Conference, where he criticized the suppression of political movements, the violation of religious freedoms, and ineffective immigration policies.
Vance’s strong yet constructive critique aimed at restoring the shared values between the U.S. and Europe.
In a follow-up to Vance’s address on February 14, Rubio spoke about the enduring ties between the U.S. and Europe and the potential for collaborative efforts to usher in what he termed a “new century of prosperity.”
Rubio said, “We are part of a civilization, Western civilization. Our nations are connected by a rich history, Christian faith, culture, language, and the sacrifices made by our ancestors for our shared civilization.”
He further remarked that under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the U.S. aims for a “mission of renewal,” hoping to pursue this path alongside European allies, if possible.
This past weekend, the European audience demonstrably responded positively to Rubio, applauding his address.
Contesting Revisionism
While many European attendees appreciated Rubio’s perspectives on civilization and shared duty, Ocasio-Cortez seemed to take issue with one of his fleeting remarks.
In a conversation at the Technical University of Berlin, she labeled Rubio’s address as an indication that “the right is gaining ground even in places like Munich.” She referred to his speech as an appeal to “Western culture.”
“I found it intriguing when he claimed that American cowboys originated from Spain. I think the descendants of Mexicans and enslaved Africans might have a different perspective on that,” Ocasio-Cortez remarked.
Rubio had stated:
“Our inland expansion followed the French fur traders and explorers. Interestingly, many of their names still grace road signs across the Mississippi Valley. The culture of cowboys, synonymous with the American West, has its roots in Spain. Also, our most iconic city was originally called New Amsterdam before it became New York.”
Critics pointed out that Rubio’s assertion about cowboy culture linked back to the introduction of horses by Europeans, including those from Spain, to the American continent, which significantly influenced the culture Ocasio-Cortez was trying to critique.
Although horses had previously roamed North America—extinct for roughly 10,000 years—they were brought back by Spanish explorers beginning with Columbus in 1493, who returned with the first horses seen on the continent in centuries. Later, Spanish conquistadors introduced more horses to areas that are now part of Mexico.
As European expansion carried on, horses integrated into both settler and Indigenous cultures.
Interestingly, while Ocasio-Cortez’s claims were challenged, some commentators quipped that all cultures have roots that intertwine, often citing Spanish vaqueros as foundational to American cowboy culture.
Robbie Starbuck, a commentator, remarked to Ocasio-Cortez, “Every culture learned about the cowboy tradition from Spanish vaqueros. Sadly, your perspective seems quite limited.” Meanwhile, John Daniel Davidson jokingly suggested Ocasio-Cortez would be surprised to learn about the origins of Mexicans themselves.
