AOC blasts Ramaswamy after RNC speech criticizing progressives: 'Try giving a damn about other people'

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted Vivek Ramaswamy for his speech at the Republican National Convention, ridiculing his message to college students.

"And our message to Gen Z is this. You're going to be the generation that actually saves this country. You want to be a rebel? You want to be a hippie? You want to stick it to the man? Show up on you college campus and try calling yourself a conservative," Ramaswamy said as he concluded his address.

"Say you want to get married, have kids, teach them to believe in god an pledge allegiance to their country. Because you know what? Fear has been infectious in this country but courage can be contagious too. That too is what it means to be an American," he added.

Ocasio-Cortez, on her end, took to X to tell the former presidential candidate, who dropped out after the Iowa caucuses, that "young people don't take well to bigoted leaders who attack LGBTQ+ rights, outlaw abortion, cozy up to gun manufacturers+ oil execs, and support a rapist for President."

"If you want to be cool so badly, try giving a damn about other people beyond yourself. Might open a few doors," the lawmaker added. The clash comes after an eventful year at U.S. colleges, marked by protests related to the Israel-Hamas war following the latter's attack on October 7 and the country's months-long military operation in Gaza.

Across many campuses, pro-Palestinian marches took violent turns, with protesters refusing to clear out encampments, clashing with police and dozens of people getting arrested as a result. Many such marches claimed to also support causes embraced by some in the left. Conservatives, in turn, have mostly stood by Israel, something reflected in polls and in chants at the RNC.

In another passage of his speech, Ramaswamy fully endorsed his former opponent in the Republican primary, saying that being American at the moment means "we believe in the ideals of 1776." "The man who will revive these ideals in the United States of America is your next president, the 47th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump," he claimed.