Trump proudly praises Rubio's performance, ridicules AOC's 'career-ending' Munich remarks
Trump: Marco, you really did yourself proud two days ago in Munich. In fact, so proud I almost terminated his employ because they were saying why can't Trump do this? Marco, don't do any better than you did, please. Because if you do, you are out of here. pic.twitter.com/NQrn538qkL
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 19, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Thursday, February 19, joked that he might have to fire Secretary of State Marco Rubio if he continued to draw praise on the global stage, singling out Rubio’s performance at last week’s Munich Security Conference.
In the same speech, he also mocked the Munich performance of Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“Marco, you really did yourself proud two days ago in Munich, in fact, so proud that I almost terminated this employee,” Trump said during remarks at a Board of Peace event.
“They were saying, ‘Why can’t Trump do this?’ I do, but I say it differently. So, Marco, don’t do any better than you did, please. Because if you do, you’re out of here,” the president joked.
Trump contrasts Marco Rubio and JD Vance as 2028 speculation grows
Trump contrasted Rubio’s approach with that of Vice President JD Vance, who delivered a markedly different speech at the same conference last year. Both men are widely viewed as potential contenders for the 2028 presidential race.
“JD’s been great,” Trump said, adding that his vice president could be “a little bit tough on occasion” and tended to speak his mind.
Turning back to Rubio, Trump described him as the stylistic opposite. “Marco does it with a velvet glove, but it’s a kill,” he said. “The result is the same, they do it very differently.”
Trump has frequently compared the two without signaling a clear preference, often highlighting their contrasting political temperaments.
Trump mocks Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
The president also used the occasion to take aim at New York Democratic Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, criticizing her performance during a Munich panel discussion on populism.
Trump claimed Ocasio-Cortez was “unable to answer a simple question” and suggested that her response could haunt her politically.
“She could have said, ‘I’m studying it, and I’ll report back next week,’” he said. “But she just went, uh, uh. I think it could be a career-ending answer.”
He went on to argue that the moment would serve as ready-made campaign material for future challengers. “For 25 years, anybody running against her is going to use that little piece,” Trump said. “It was not good.”
