AOC Denounces Schumer’s Support for GOP Funding Bill, Sparks Intraparty Revolt

AOC Denounces Schumer’s Support for GOP Funding Bill, Sparks Intraparty Revolt

Edited by: Fern Sidman

A political firestorm is erupting inside the Democratic Party as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) publicly denounces Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s apparent willingness to allow the House GOP’s funding bill to move forward — a move she calls a betrayal of core Democratic values. Speaking forcefully from the annual House Democratic policy retreat in Leesburg, Virginia, Ocasio-Cortez warned that she intends to leverage her expansive grassroots following to resist what she describes as Schumer’s “acquiescence” to Republican demands, according to a report that appeared on Thursday at CNN.

In remarks captured by CNN, Ocasio-Cortez pulled no punches, saying there is a “deep sense of outrage and betrayal” rippling through the Democratic ranks over the Senate’s posture toward the House-passed GOP bill. Characterizing the decision as a complete surrender, she declared, “Senate Democrats are completely rolling over and giving up on protecting the Constitution.”

The New York congresswoman, a central figure in the progressive wing of the party, has taken to mobilizing supporters across her vast social media platforms to urge Democratic voters nationwide to put pressure on their senators. According to the information in the CNN report, she is spearheading what she calls a full-blown campaign to block the bill before it advances — describing it in jest as a moment where Democrats are “texting, calling, sending carrier pigeons” in a desperate effort to change course.

“We still have time to correct course on this decision,” she told CNN reporters. “Senate Democrats can vote no. We can correct course, and that is the most important thing in front of us right now.”

Ocasio-Cortez’s frustration is not isolated. The retreat in Leesburg has revealed growing cracks within the Democratic caucus, with sources telling CNN that even centrist Democrats — often cautious about aligning too closely with Ocasio-Cortez’s progressive bloc — are incensed by Schumer’s apparent surrender. One Democratic member, speaking directly to CNN, confirmed that multiple lawmakers in the Congressional Progressive Caucus, as well as others across the ideological spectrum, have personally encouraged Ocasio-Cortez to consider launching a primary challenge against Schumer.

“There’s never been this level of frustration,” the lawmaker told CNN, noting that even moderates were “ready to write checks for AOC for Senate.” The anger was so intense that, according to this source, conversations about a potential Senate run by Ocasio-Cortez quickly gained traction — a signal of how deeply the backlash to Schumer’s decision is reverberating inside the party.

While Ocasio-Cortez declined to comment directly on calls for her to challenge Schumer in 2026, she did not rule it out. Instead, she reiterated to CNN that her primary focus is defeating the GOP funding bill before it gains traction. “That is my number one priority,” she insisted.

The progressive firebrand’s criticism went even further when she addressed the sacrifices made by Democratic colleagues in vulnerable districts. Speaking to reporters, Ocasio-Cortez pointed out that House Democrats — even in Trump-leaning districts — had taken substantial political risks by opposing the bill. That commitment, she argued, is now being undermined by Senate Democrats’ willingness to capitulate.

“There are members of Congress who have won Trump-held districts in some of the most difficult territory in the United States who walked the plank and took innumerable risks in order to defend the American people, in order to defend Social Security and Medicaid and Medicare,” she said, according to the CNN report. “Just to see Senate Democrats even consider acquiescing to Elon Musk, I think is a huge slap in the face.”

The reference to Musk, although not elaborated upon in the CNN report, appears to symbolize what Ocasio-Cortez sees as an overarching influence of corporate and right-wing interests infiltrating key policy decisions. Her remarks reflect a growing sentiment within progressive circles that Democratic leadership is increasingly disconnected from the priorities of its base.

The funding bill itself, described by CNN as the first major point of leverage in President Donald Trump’s second term, has emerged as a lightning rod for interparty conflict. Progressive Democrats see it as a litmus test of whether the party will stand firm in defense of social programs and constitutional protections — or bend to Republican political pressure.

Ocasio-Cortez’s mobilization efforts are already gaining momentum online, with a wave of calls to action sweeping across activist networks and digital platforms. Whether this movement succeeds in derailing the bill remains uncertain, but the message is unmistakable: AOC is not backing down, and she’s taking a hard line against any Democratic retreat.

As this battle unfolds, the internal fissures it has exposed could have lasting implications — not only for the fate of the funding bill but for the future direction of the Democratic Party itself. With a potential Senate primary challenge against Schumer looming in the backdrop, Ocasio-Cortez has once again positioned herself at the center of the party’s ideological reckoning.