Ocasio-Cortez hits back at columnist for State of the Union criticism: 'I'm not here to comfort anyone'

“Why should I be ‘spirited and warm’ for this embarrassment of a #SOTU?”

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez clapped back at a Wall Street Journal columnist who tweeted that the New York Democrat looked “sullen, teenaged and at a loss”, during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.

“AOC had a rare bad night, looking not spirited, warm and original as usual but sullen, teenaged and at a loss,” Peggy Noonan tweeted to her followers on Tuesday night after the president completed his speech.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive firebrand vocally critical of the president, looked aloof and unmoved during most of Mr Trump’s address with the exception of a moment when he acknowledged the record-breaking number of women serving in Congress.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez responded to Ms Noonan by questioning why she should insincerely react approvingly to Mr Trump’s speech when he “offer any plan, any vision at all, for our future”.

“Why should I be ‘spirited and warm’ for this embarrassment of a #SOTU?” the Bronx-born congresswoman tweeted, addressing Ms Noonan. “Tonight was an unsettling night for our country. The president failed to offer any plan, any vision at all, for our future. We’re flying without a pilot. And I’m not here to comfort anyone about that fact.”

The 29-year-old lawmaker and other Democratic congresswomen wore white in the House chamber on Tuesday night to pay tribute to the suffragettes, women’s rights, and equality.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez also wore a pin honouring Jakelin Caal, the Guatemalan child migrant who died under Border Patrol custody.