Distant Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), said she would not be attending a joint session of Congress Tuesday evening, and announced her absence hours before the highly anticipated event.
“I'm not going to go on a joint speech,” the Democrat wrote on Bluesky on a social media website. “I'll post and chat with you guys instead. Then I'll go live to IG.”
I will not go to the shared address. I will post and chat with you guys here instead. After that, I'll go live to IG.
– Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (@aoc.bsky.social)) March 4th, 2025, 1:08pm
The AOC makes an announcement on the platform a few days after asking her followers what she and other Democrats believed they should do for the event, inaccurately calling it “union status.”
“If you were in Congress, what would you do for the states of the Union? What do you think Dems should do?” she asked.
If you were in Congress, what would you do for the union's state? What do you think Dems should do?
– Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (@aoc.bsky.social)) February 28th, 2025, 4:37pm
Some followers said absence would be the best form of protest, while others suggested strike. Another came up with the idea of pure confusion through President Donald Trump's speech, “One small group at a time.”
“When they are pulled out, the next group begins. Fight, don't run away.” That individual Added.
This is far from the first bailout for Democrats at a major event centered around a Republican president. Ocasio-Cortez was one of those who skipped Trump's second inauguration after his massive, undeniable landslide victory.
“Let me clarify myself. I won't celebrate the rapist,” she said. “So I'm not going to the inauguration tomorrow.”
AOC's “rapeeper” reference falsely implied that President Trump should be associated with such heinous conduct. The ABC recently paid $15 million to resolve Trump's delinquent lawsuit after George Stephanopulos issued a similarly inaccurate statement about the president in March 2024.
Trump's theme for the Congressional Joint Session is “Updating America's Dreams.” The 45th and 47th Presidents have promised that tonight's speech will form part of the “big” night.
