During Thursday's Board of Peace meeting, Senator JD Vance tried to inject humor at the expense of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but his attempt backfired spectacularly when the audience responded with a deafening silence. The incident occurred shortly after former President Donald Trump had criticized Ocasio-Cortez's appearance at the Munich Security Conference, where she faced a challenging question about U.S. troop deployment to Taiwan.
A Failed Attempt at Mockery
Vance began his remarks by referencing Trump's earlier comments, stating, "I knew exactly what I wanted to say, but then 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." He continued, "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 do about Congresswoman Cortez." However, instead of eliciting laughter, his joke was met with an awkward quiet, leaving Vance visibly disappointed.
Social Media Reaction and AOC's Comeback
The moment quickly went viral on social media, with a video clip showing Vance's failed joke receiving no laughs. In response, Ocasio-Cortez took to X to poke fun at the situation, writing, "The only thing longer than my pause to think was their silence to his joke ?" This witty retort highlighted the contrast between her thoughtful pause during a sensitive discussion and the complete lack of reaction to Vance's attempt at humor.
The Board of Peace meeting, attended by officials from nearly 50 countries, thus became a stage for political theater, underscoring the dynamics of public speaking and audience engagement in high-stakes environments. While Vance aimed to score points with a jab, Ocasio-Cortez ultimately had the last laugh, turning the tables with her sharp social media commentary.
