What did AOC say? Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez clarifies Stephen Miller jab after backlash over alleged body shaming comments

U.S. representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is frequently referred to by her initials, AOC, attracted criticism after she posted an Instagram live video in which she took aim at White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller’s height.

According to The New York Post, in the video, Ocasio-Cortez said,

“I’ve never seen that guy in real life, but he looks like he’s, like, 4’10. And he looks like he is angry about the fact that he’s 4’10. And he looks like he is so mad that he is 4′10″ that he has taken that anger out at any other population possible.”

In clips from her Instagram Live session circulating on social media, Ocasio-Cortez also urged her followers and supporters to “laugh” at people like Miller.

Later, Stephen Miller was shown the comments Ocasio-Cortez made about his height while live on Fox News. While responding to the clip, Miller took a jibe at Ocasio-Cortez. He said:

“Well, we knew that her brain didn’t work. Now we know that her eyes don’t work. So, the, I mean, she’s just, she’s a mess, right? What a train wreck. What a train wreck.”

Continuing, Miller fired back at Ocasio-Cortez:

“I think the important point is that every time she’s on TV, Republican approval ratings go up, Democrat approval ratings go down. That lady is a walking nightmare.”

🚨 JUST IN - Stephen Miller on Rep. AOC calling him "4-foot-10": "We knew her brain didn't work - now we know her eyes don't work. She is a MESS. What a TRAIN WRECK." 😂

"Every time she's on TV, Republican approval ratings go up, Democratic approval ratings go DOWN. That lady is… pic.twitter.com/l6rMJstwgc

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 6, 2025

The White House Deputy Chief of Staff also clarified that his actual height is 5 feet 10 inches.

AOC referred to her comments on Stephen Miller’s height and clarified her intentions

In an immediate response to Stephen Miller’s appearance on Fox News, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attached a clip from the interview on X and wrote,

“I cannot believe they aired this and made him listen to it live I am crying”

However, the congresswoman faced increasing backlash from netizens who accused her of body shaming and insensitively taking aim at a person’s physical features and mocking their appearance. In a follow-up video, Ocasio-Cortez clarified that she did not intend to be derisive of Miller’s appearance. On the contrary, the Representative claimed that she was referring to the internal attributes of Miller, not his height.

As per The New York Post, Ocasio-Cortez clarified in another video,

“I don’t believe in body-shaming. I want to express my love for the short king community. I am talking about how big or small someone is on the inside.”

Ocasio-Cortez also made a reference to contentious internet personality Andrew Tate, and added,

“For example, I have no idea how big or tall Andrew Tate is. No idea at all. But that guy looks to me like 5’3″, 5’4″, whereas physically men of smaller stature can come across [like] they are spiritually 6′. I don’t know. Am I being problematic?”

NEW: AOC backtracks after bodyshaming short people, says "height" is really an internal, not physical issue.

AOC says she is actually a lover of the Short King Community and says people are only big or small on the inside.

"I don't believe in body shaming. I am talking about… pic.twitter.com/iwFWsSj9XM

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 7, 2025

Elsewhere, AOC continued in her vehement criticism of the current administration. Earlier, she appeared on MSNBC and accused the government of abusing its power. She said,

“I think there's two things that are happening at once, and this is something that is very important for people to understand. One, there absolutely is an unprecedented abuse of power, destruction of norms, erosion of our government and our democracy in order to prop up an authoritarian style of governance. That is what is happening. However, they are weaker than they look, and it is important that we remember that because what they rely on is the impression of power, the perception of inevitability in us giving up in advance.”

Recently on social media, AOC insisted on her belief in people’s right to access affordable healthcare, and criticized what she referred to as the government’s “policies and cuts to Medicaid.”