Ocasio-Cortez Faces Criticism Over NDAA Claims

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, faced backlash after stating that the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would merge parts of the U.S. military with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). This statement drew criticism from Republican lawmakers who argued that the legislation, specifically Section 219, aims to enhance U.S.-Israel defense cooperation without merging the two militaries. The House passed the NDAA on July 23, 2026, with a vote of 219-206, keeping Section 219 intact. Ocasio-Cortez described the provision as a threat to American sovereignty and democracy, urging Congress to vote against it. Critics, including Republican Representative Mike Lawler, accused her of misrepresenting the bill and called for her to stop spreading what they termed as anti-Semitic rhetoric. Lawler emphasized that the provision simply expands existing defense cooperation. Some lawmakers, including Republican Thomas Massie, opposed the provision for different reasons and attempted to introduce an amendment to remove it, which was not allowed a vote. Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, also criticized the lack of debate on the amendment, stating that Congress should have had the opportunity to vote on the integration of military technologies.