Former White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, who served as director of the National Economic Council under President Donald Trump, sharply criticized Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) over her recent television appearance, arguing that her attempts to distance herself from past progressive positions are unconvincing and that her policy agenda remains unpopular with voters.

During an ABC News Sunday interview with Jonathan Karl, Ocasio-Cortez was asked about Francesca Hong, the Democratic Socialist of America–supported candidate running in Wisconsin's upcoming gubernatorial race. Karl referenced controversial statements attributed to Hong and asked Ocasio-Cortez how she navigates those positions.

"My understanding is that Francesca Hong has made clear her present stances," Ocasio-Cortez replied. When Karl noted that Hong "has moved away from a lot of that," Ocasio-Cortez responded: "Right, she's moved away from it and I have a local city councilman that has this saying, 'woke one was crazy.'"

Kudlow characterized the exchange as evasive, asserting that Ocasio-Cortez is attempting to back away from positions she has long championed. He argued that policies such as defunding the police, open borders, and pandemic-era closures of schools and businesses caused significant hardship, including mental health struggles, addiction, and family disruptions.

Kudlow also cited a broader set of progressive policy positions he associated with Ocasio-Cortez, including framing white supremacy as a systemic American problem, supporting the Green New Deal, calling for the abolition of ICE, and advocating for the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports.

A recent poll, Kudlow noted, indicates growing unpopularity for Ocasio-Cortez within her own congressional district, which spans parts of New York City's outer boroughs.

Turning to Wisconsin's gubernatorial race, Kudlow said Hong faces similar scrutiny. He listed a range of policy proposals attributed to her, including a call to eliminate Thanksgiving as a "colonizer holiday," abolish a police department that she reportedly said "exists to uphold white supremacy," establish a state public healthcare option, create a state public bank, open publicly owned grocery stores, repeal former Governor Scott Walker's right-to-work laws, provide state IDs for undocumented immigrants, implement sanctuary policies, raise the minimum wage to $20, legalize marijuana, and impose a 17 percent tax on millionaires and corporations.

Kudlow argued that such policies are unnecessary not only in Wisconsin but also in Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed is running, and in New York, where Zohran Mamdani is a candidate. The remarks come amid an ongoing debate within the Democratic Party over its ideological direction following Trump's 2024 victory, with moderate voices urging a course correction and progressive leaders defending their policy priorities.

Pointing to current economic data, Kudlow contended that American free-market capitalism is delivering strong results. He cited the Atlanta Federal Reserve's GDPNow tracker projection of 6 percent GDP growth in the current quarter, an unemployment rate of 4.1 percent, rising private-sector employment, declining government jobs, and manufacturing and construction activity at their fastest pace in decades. He also noted that inflation remains modest.

Kudlow credited Trump with shifting American culture toward traditional and religious values, concluding that progressive candidates should reconsider their political ambitions.

"Tell the comrades to stay home," Kudlow said.