AOC's big week ignites hype and outrage

• Her viral videos and personal messaging brought her politics into conversations well beyond Washington, with many speculating about her dating life, too.
• The momentum also showed up in prediction markets as she climbed to the top of Kalshi odds for the 2028 nomination, about even with California Gov. Gavin Newsom on the Democratic side.

AOC goes viral over egg-freezing, viral clips

Driving the news: Ocasio-Cortez's big week began with a series of videos in which she said she had begun the process of freezing her eggs.

• The videos caught fire online. She even acknowledged that talking about her decision would come with a "political tax."
• "This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life," she said on Instagram.
• ABC News' "This Week" interviewed her last weekend too, where she didn't rule out running for president or for the Senate in 2028.

Ocasio-Cortez continued to post videos, many of which went viral through clips and snippets posted online.

• One video surfaced that included a clip of her mockingly punching the camera, telling viewers: "Don't be weird."

AOC draws praise from Pelosi

What they're saying: Ocasio-Cortez drew praise from Democratic leaders while her direct, personal videos attracted millions of views online (and plenty of backlash).

• This included warm words from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), whose speakership overlapped with Ocasio-Cortez's rise as a thorn in the side of Democratic leadership.
• "I think that she has been so operational, and it's just wonderful. I know it's a joy to work with her, and I think most members think that," Pelosi said at Politico's Sacramento Summit earlier this week.

Backlash to AOC's clips and videos

The other side: Her week was not without criticism, though.

• After Ocasio-Cortez made headlines for saying "Woke 1 was crazy," Republicans criticized her for distancing herself from the controversial comments of the Democratic Party.

• White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said her comments downplayed the 2020-era rhetoric, which he said harmed the country.
• "We're gonna have a good laugh about that? It's sickening, it's disgusting, and the thing is it never stopped," Miller said.

Ocasio-Cortez's messaging on egg freezing has also left Republicans divided on how to respond. Some want the U.S. birthrate to rise, while others criticize women for delaying pregnancy.

• "She'll turn 37 in a couple months. If she got pregnant now, it would technically be a geriatric pregnancy," conservative commentator Matt Walsh posted on X. "This desire to start having children late in life is completely baffling to me."

AOC responds to the backlash

Zoom out: Ocasio-Cortez knows about the pushback, and she responded to the criticism in an Instagram Story Q&A.

• "They hate me 'cause they ain't me, and they can't ever be me," Ocasio-Cortez joked.
• That clip also drew millions of views from both critics and supporters.

The bottom line: AOC had a big week — and it might not be her last one.

Go deeper: AOC is leaving her 2028 options open