In a fiery public rebuke, Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York has declined an invitation to appear on Fox News host Jesse Watters' program, labeling him "a pervert" for past sexually suggestive commentary. The confrontation, which unfolded outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, and was captured on video, has ignited a significant debate about misogyny and accountability in political media.
A Contentious Capitol Hill Exchange
The incident began when a producer for "Jesse Watters Primetime" approached Ocasio-Cortez, asking if she would consider joining the conservative pundit's show. The congresswoman's response was immediate and unequivocal. "He has sexualized me on his show. He has sexually harassed me on his show. He has engaged in horrific, sexually exploitative rhetoric," Ocasio-Cortez stated.
When the producer attempted to interject, claiming "That's not true, Congresswoman," Ocasio-Cortez pushed back with specific details. "It is true, because he accused me of sleeping — of wanting to quote unquote 'sleep with Stephen Miller,'" she asserted, referencing comments Watters made on his show in the fall of 2025. The entire tense exchange lasted less than half a minute but quickly spread across social media platforms.
The History Behind the Accusation
Ocasio-Cortez's reference was to a segment from Jesse Watters' Fox News program last autumn. During the broadcast, Watters made a baseless claim that the progressive lawmaker wanted to have sex with Stephen Miller, the former White House deputy chief of staff and architect of Donald Trump's hard-line immigration policies. "I think AOC wants to sleep with Miller. It's so obvious," Watters said at the time, adding, "I'm sorry, you can't have him."
This remark followed an Instagram Live broadcast by Ocasio-Cortez where she criticized "insecure" supporters of the MAGA movement, suggesting their ideology was "predicated on the puffery of insecure masculinity." She had also joked about Miller's height, though she later clarified she was mocking overcompensation, not stature.
Public Reaction and a Direct Challenge
After the video of her rejecting the interview went viral, Ocasio-Cortez addressed Watters directly on the social media platform X. Her message was blunt: "You can either be a pervert or ask me to be on your little show. Not both. Good luck!"
The online response was overwhelmingly supportive of the congresswoman. Users praised her for holding Watters accountable, with comments ranging from "This is how it's done" to "Glad AOC told that creep Jesse Watters to f*ck off." Many observers noted that Watters' brand of commentary, which has included issuing "rules for real men," has long normalized misogynistic rhetoric. One X user summarized a common sentiment: "Those guys have normalized misogyny to the point where they don't even recognize it anymore."
The clash underscores a persistent tension between progressive politicians and certain factions of cable news commentary. It also raises questions about the boundaries of political discourse and the professional consequences for media figures who engage in personally targeted, sexually charged rhetoric. For now, it appears any potential dialogue between Representative Ocasio-Cortez and Jesse Watters Primetime has been firmly shut down.
