Fox's Pete Hegseth calls Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a “mindless moron” after she resists calls to privatize the VA

Hegseth: “She is a moron, I'm going to say it. No, especially on this issue, she is mindless moron who knows nothing of this topic.”

From the April 23 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends

Video file

STEVE DOOCY (CO-HOST): Let's talk a little bit about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

PETE HEGSETH (GUEST CO-HOST): Oh yes.

DOOCY: Yesterday it was revealed Netflix put out a video trailer of an upcoming film they put together of four women who ran for Congress. And she obviously won. She was also talking about the Veterans Administration and it will be great to have Pete's point of view because he's been so vocal about this for years. She says regarding that, and keep in mind it was a couple years ago where we heard that a number of people had actually died in Arizona. 

HEGSETH: On wait lists. 

AINSLEY EARHARDT (CO-HOST): On the waiting lists. 

DOOCY: Right. Waiting for treatment. And it's gotten better, but is it fixed? Listen to this.

[BEGIN VIDEO]

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): There are some themes that we got coming out now and especially when it comes to the VA. All I can think of is that classic refrain that my parents always taught me growing up, which is that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I mean, exactly. And that is the opening approach that we have seen when it comes to privatization, is the idea that this thing that isn't broken, this thing that provides some of the highest quality care to our veterans somehow needs to be fixed, optimized, tinkered with, until we don't even recognize it anymore. And that's the thing. They are trying to fix it. But who are they trying to fix it for? It's the question we got to ask. Because if there is any community that deserves having a first-class health care in the United States of America, it is our military service. 

[END VIDEO]  

HEGSETH: So this was an event on Wednesday we just got video for. I tried to go to the event as a veteran in the media. We were denied access, even though there was plenty of room. Ultimately, she has no idea what she's talking about. I tweeted about this yesterday when I first saw the video. The floods of tweets that I've gotten from veterans saying, “What in the world is she talking about?” She's never used a VA or probably doesn't know many people that do. She would never use it. The woman of the people should go try VA health care and see how she likes it so much. Because that's what she wants for the rest of the country. This is a system that because it is run by the government and a bureaucracy, is fundamentally broken. By giving veterans a choice, you create competition which raises the standards because now veterans get to compete for care. It's not about the scare tactic of privatization. It's about choice and empowering vets to get the best possible care. That's the only good thing she said. They deserve the best care, then let's get them the best care if they live next to it, doesn't have to be a government-run facility. She is a moron, I'm going to say it. No, especially on this issue, she is mindless moron who knows nothing of this topic, goes in front of government union groups, and says, “If it's not broken, don't fix it.” What an -- she doesn't know what she's talking about. 

EARHARDT: The majority of veterans --

DOOCY: That's harsh.

HEGSETH: It is harsh.

Related

The Nation: In the Bronx, AOC Advocates for a ‘VA for All’

Previously

Fox's Pete Hegseth, Brian Kilmeade criticize American veterans who apply for every government benefit they qualify for

Report: Trump called Fox & Friends host Pete Hegseth, who has Koch links, during a meeting with the VA Secretary

Six weeks of Fox's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez obsession: “Totalitarian,” “ignorant,” “scary,” and waging a “war on cows”