AOC Sits Down For Interview With Jon Stewart

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is sounding the alarm over what she perceives as a dangerous shift in the cultural and political landscape as President Donald Trump embarks on his second term. Speaking on The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart, Ocasio-Cortez expressed concern about how Trump has become more “normalized” this time around, with elites, cultural figures, and even some former adversaries openly associating with him. Her comments reflect a growing anxiety among progressives about Trump’s strengthened position and the broader acceptance he seems to have gained across various sectors of society.

“What makes this go-around with Trump so much more dangerous than the first time around is … he is much more normalized this time,” Ocasio-Cortez warned. “The first time, people were really on edge. They were on guard. They were very vigilant about any break that he would have with these norms. This time, the norms are becoming him, like the norms are embracing him.”

The congresswoman pointed to cultural and symbolic gestures, such as major fashion house Oscar de la Renta designing outfits for women attending Trump’s inauguration, as indicators of how the resistance to Trump has softened in some elite circles. “Even these little things that … everyday working people may not care about, but they are strong cultural signals,” she said, lamenting the newfound willingness of powerful figures to align with the president. She characterized this shift as a “billionaire feeding frenzy,” accusing elites of competing to show loyalty to Trump in exchange for personal gain.

Trump’s inauguration on Monday highlighted this shift, as it was attended by celebrities and entertainers who, during his first term, might have shied away from any association with him. Even Big Tech companies, some of which had banned Trump from their platforms during his first term, provided financial backing for the event, signaling a stark contrast to their previously adversarial stance.

Meanwhile, attempts by left-wing activists to counter Trump’s second inauguration with mass protests fell flat. Progressive groups had promised a major show of resistance, but the turnout was embarrassingly low. Instead of the anticipated crowd of 10,000 protesters, only a few dozen showed up, braving snowy conditions and icy winds. The scene was described by the Daily Caller News Foundation as one of unused megaphones and subdued grumbling about the weather. It was a far cry from the fiery resistance movements that defined the early days of Trump’s first presidency.

Ocasio-Cortez’s frustration appears to stem not just from Trump’s policies but from the cultural and institutional shift she sees as enabling him. The symbolic gestures of acceptance from elites and the apparent erosion of organized resistance represent a major challenge for progressives hoping to counter Trump’s agenda. The congresswoman’s critique aligns with a broader sentiment on the left that Trump’s growing normalization is a dangerous trend, one that undermines their ability to rally opposition and enforce cultural taboos against him.

Trump, for his part, wasted no time in using his inaugural address to draw a stark line between his administration’s vision and that of the Democratic Party. Declaring that “America’s decline is over,” Trump criticized Democratic policies as the root of the nation’s challenges and vowed to reverse them. His remarks signaled a clear intent to double down on his America First agenda, which includes restoring energy dominance, tackling illegal immigration, and reasserting American sovereignty on the global stage.

The dynamics at play in Trump’s second term are undeniably different from his first. While his first presidency was marked by widespread resistance from nearly every corner of elite society—Hollywood, Big Tech, and corporate America—his second term appears to be unfolding in a much friendlier environment. The cultural elites who once avoided him are now willing to participate, and the organized resistance that characterized the early days of his first term seems to be losing steam.