AOC and Bernie Sanders rally a massive crowd against “billionaire oligarchs” while President Trump systematically dismantles their DEI agenda across government and private sectors.
At a Glance
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined Bernie Sanders for his largest-ever rally in Denver as part of their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour
- The rally specifically targeted “billionaire oligarchs” including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and President Trump
- AOC urged Democrats not to be divided by race and identity politics despite Trump’s decisive actions to eliminate DEI programs
- Trump has implemented executive orders removing identity politics from military, federal government, and universities
- Ocasio-Cortez is positioning herself for expanded influence in the Democratic Party’s future, potentially eyeing 2028
AOC’s Progressive Rallying Cry Falls Flat
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders recently took their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour to Denver, where they addressed what Sanders described as his largest crowd ever. The pair launched direct attacks against successful American business leaders and President Trump, labeling them “billionaire oligarchs.” Despite their fiery rhetoric, the rally comes as President Trump systematically removes the DEI programs that formed the backbone of their ideological agenda across government institutions.
The progressive duo pushed a message of unity while simultaneously attacking wealthy Americans. “The only chance they have to get away with such an unpopular and hurtful agenda is to stoke deep divisions along race, identity and culture to keep us fighting and distracted. It’s not going to work anymore,” AOC told rally goers. “Don’t let them trick us into thinking we are enemies. Don’t let them trick us into being weak and being into thinking we can be separated into rural and urban, black and white and Latino.” – Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Trump’s Decisive Action Against Identity Politics
While AOC and Sanders rallied their base with calls for greater government control, President Trump has moved swiftly to eliminate the identity politics agenda they championed. Through executive action, President Trump has already begun the process of removing DEI programs from universities, federal agencies, and the military, fulfilling campaign promises to restore merit-based systems. His decisive leadership aims to reverse policies implemented during previous administrations that prioritized identity over qualification.
“Prior to harmful changes introduced by the Obama and Biden administrations, the United States military offered equality of opportunity to every American capable of and interested in serving their country. Yet these two administrations exploited the military in favor of identity politics—harming our national defense, undermining the non-political nature of our military, and eroding morale and recruitment,” Trump wrote in one of his first Executive Orders after being sworn in. “Due to this ‘woke’ assault, the Services together logged their lowest recruiting records since 1940 with a 41,000-troop shortfall in 2023.” – Donald Trump
Political analysts have noted that identity politics played a significant role in Democrats’ recent electoral failures. The progressive ideology that elevated racial and gender identities above policy solutions ultimately failed to resonate with mainstream American voters, leading to a rejection of candidates who embraced such divisive rhetoric. President Trump’s victory represented a clear mandate to restore traditional American values of equal opportunity regardless of background.
AOC’s Positioning for Future Leadership
Despite the clear rejection of progressive politics at the ballot box, AOC continues to position herself as a future Democratic Party leader. During her Denver appearance, she called for “a Democratic Party that fights harder for us” while praising the need for more politicians willing to “brawl for the working class.” This rhetoric marks her attempt to broaden appeal beyond her far-left base and build bridges with traditional Democrats as she potentially eyes a 2028 presidential run.
While Sanders declined to anoint any specific successor to his progressive movement, he acknowledged that “there are dozens and dozens of really strong progressives out there who are I think going to be the future political leaders of our country.” The aging socialist’s tour with AOC appears designed to transfer his base of support to younger leaders who can continue pushing policies that have consistently failed when implemented but retain popularity among certain segments of the Democratic base.
Democrats in Disarray
As President Trump implements his America First agenda, the Democratic Party finds itself in a state of internal conflict. AOC herself has criticized the infighting, saying, “It’s interesting that we are in a cultural moment where, on the left and the right and the center, there’s just a certain cache and reward to being an a–hole. And yeah, we’ve seen it on the right — we also see it on the left.” This self-awareness hasn’t stopped her from continuing to push policies that most Americans have rejected at the ballot box.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer between a Democratic Party searching for direction and a Trump administration confidently implementing the policies that earned him a strong electoral mandate. While progressives like AOC and Sanders continue rallying against successful American entrepreneurs and pushing socialist policies, President Trump is methodically restoring the principles that made America great, removing harmful identity-based programs and restoring merit as the primary qualification for advancement in American society.
