Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez brushed aside criticism of past controversial stances taken by socialist-aligned politicians, including calls to "defund the police," during an appearance on ABC's "This Week". Asked to address such comments, the New York Democrat downplayed their significance by joking that "Woke 1 was crazy," treating the earlier period as a bygone phase rather than defending the substance of the positions. The remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of left-wing figures within the Democratic Party as debates over policing, taxation and messaging continue to divide the party's moderate and progressive wings.

The interview took place against a backdrop of wider coverage of tensions within Democratic ranks, including disputes over the Democratic Socialists of America's tax proposals and infighting involving figures such as Senator John Fetterman and gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Ocasio-Cortez's dismissive tone suggested an attempt to move past earlier "defund the police" rhetoric without directly repudiating it, framing it instead as a product of a particular cultural moment. The comments were reported by Fox News as part of broader coverage of divisions and controversies within the Democratic Party.