Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., came under fire after claiming the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would “merge parts of our military with the Israel Defense Forces,” drawing accusations that she distorted what the legislation actually does.
The fight centers on Section 219 of the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act, a provision that calls for deeper U.S.-Israel defense integration through expanded cooperation on military technology, supply chains, research, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and joint exercises.
On Wednesday, the House passed its version of the FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act in a 219-206 vote, leaving Section 219 intact.
But ahead of the vote, Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X that the NDAA “includes a provision to merge parts of our military with the IDF.”
THE US-ISRAEL STRATEGIC ALLIANCE â PARTNERSHIP, NOT CHARITY
“This amendment is an existential threat to American sovereignty and democracy,” she wrote. “Every member of Congress must vote NO.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s post quickly drew criticism from Republican lawmakers and Trump administration officials, who argued the measure strengthens defense cooperation with Israel but does not merge the two militaries.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin called the claim “FALSE,” accusing the congresswoman of misrepresenting the bill.
“Instead of merging the part of your brain that hates Jews with the part of your brain concocting your daily lies, you should try merging the part of your brain responsible for reading bill text with the part of your brain responsible for critical thinking,” Zeldin wrote on X.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., similarly blasted Ocasio-Cortez, calling her to “stop stoking Jew hatred.”
“Good grief, you are either obtuse or intentionally lying. We are not merging our military with the IDF,” Lawler wrote.
Lawler argued the provision simply expands the type of defense cooperation the United States already maintains with close allies, including intelligence sharing, joint military exercises, and collaborative weapons development.
While Republicans disputed Ocasio-Cortez’s description, some lawmakers who opposed the provision also expressed concern about its scope but framed it differently.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced an amendment to strip Section 219 from the legislation, but House leadership did not allow it to receive a vote. After the procedural rule passed, Massie announced he would oppose the entire defense bill.
