JD Vance Mocks AOC Over Alleged Foreign Policy Gaffes: 'I'm Tempted to Freeze for 20 Seconds'

Vice President JD Vance mocked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during remarks at the inaugural meeting of the president's Board of Peace in Washington over alleged gaffes when addressing foreign policy matters.

Speaking at an event inaugurating the Board of Peace before an audience that included President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, envoy Steve Witkoff and representatives from more than 45 countries, Vance took a jab at the Congresswoman's response to a question at the Munich Security Conference.

"I knew exactly what I wanted to say," Vance told the audience. "But after the president said that I was so smart and that I didn't want to repeat our congresswoman, who froze for 20 seconds over in Munich. Now, I'm tempted, sir, just to freeze for 20 seconds. And just stare at the cameras, and maybe they'll say nice things about me, like they did about Congresswoman Cortez."

The remark referenced Ocasio-Cortez's response at the conference when she was asked whether the United States should commit troops to defend Taiwan if China invaded. She answered hesitantly, after a near 20-second pause:

"This is, of course, a very long-standing policy of the United States, and I think what we are hoping for is that we want to make sure that we never get to that point, and we want to make sure that we are moving in all of our economic research and our global positions to avoid any such confrontation and for that question to even arise"

The exchange led critics to slam AOC for a lack of foreign policy experience, while supporters argued the hesitation was minor.

Vance had already criticized her response earlier in the week, calling it "embarrassing" during a Fox News interview. "If I had given that answer I would say, 'you know what? Maybe you ought to go read a book about China and Taiwan before I go out on the world stage again," he said, adding that he hoped she would show "humility."

The Board of Peace gathering where Vance spoke was convened as part of the Trump administration's initiative focused on ending the war in Gaza.