Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) sparked controversy during a recent Instagram Live session by mocking White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, calling him a “clown” and urging her followers to “laugh” at what she described as the “insecure masculinity” driving parts of the Trump administration. Ocasio-Cortez told her 13 million followers that humor is a powerful way to challenge authoritarianism and undercut political figures who thrive on intimidation.

“Stephen Miller is a clown,” she said. “He looks like he’s [4 feet, 10 inches tall] and angry about it. Laugh at them.” She argued that making fun of what she sees as a masculinity-based political ideology is more effective than outrage. “One of the best ways to dismantle a movement of insecure men is by making fun of them.”

Her remarks prompted swift backlash from conservatives, who accused her of bullying and hypocrisy. GOP strategist Matt Whitlock wrote, “Imagine the reaction if a Republican made comments like this about a female Democrat.”

Ocasio-Cortez responded by defending her tone. “Laughter isn’t cruelty — it’s confidence,” she wrote. “When people use hate to mask insecurity, they expect you to be afraid of them. Laughing shows you aren’t.”

Meanwhile, Miller, long criticized for his role in Trump’s immigration policies, responded to unrelated attacks from Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), calling him “vile” and denying claims that Trump allies were behind the doxing of a judge. Ocasio-Cortez remains one of Trump’s most vocal critics, particularly on immigration, where she has called for abolishing ICE.

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