Conservative Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) used a folksy trick to describe his relationship with progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday, and some viewers weren’t laughing.

“I can respect a liberal,” Burchett said at NewsNation’s town hall at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. “I respect Cortez. She’s my friend. I mean, she’s a Marxist. She’s a friendly neighborhood Marxist, like I always call her. I tell her things. She’s in one of my videos as I’m walking off the House floor, and I say, ‘Hey, Cortez,’ and she says, ‘Hey Burchett.’ And I tell people: ‘Don’t look at it too much.’ She will steal your soul. “We have that kind of relationship and we can joke about it.”

Republican Rep. Tim Burchett on AOC:

I respect Cortez, she is my friend. I mean, she’s a Marxist. She appears in one of my videos and I say, ‘Hi Cortez,’ and she says, ‘Hi Burchett,’ and I tell people, ‘Don’t look at her for too long, she’ll steal your soul.’
pic.twitter.com/n7gCgtZdlL

– Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) October 16, 2025

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Republican Rep. Tim Burchett on AOC:

I respect Cortez, she is my friend. I mean, she’s a Marxist. She appears in one of my videos and I say, ‘Hi Cortez,’ and she says, ‘Hi Burchett,’ and I tell people, ‘Don’t look at her for too long, she’ll steal your soul.’
pic.twitter.com/n7gCgtZdlL

– Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) October 16, 2025

While the progressive and the Trump sycophant are rarely on the same side on an issue, both have backed laws to prevent members of Congress from negotiating stock. And they both agreed at one point that Jeffrey Epstein’s files should be made public. Burchett, however, softened his stance because he said the late sex offender’s flight logs to the island would also include the names of innocent people.

The signs of friendship between the two House members angered some.

“Just say no to Marxists, Tim,” wrote one critic. Another criticized him for “normalizing” Marxism.

“It’s so nice to have Marxist ‘friends’ and be friends with them and go to dinner with them!” said one commenter. “I mean, they want their constituents shot in the neck, but, yeah, sure, have some drinks!”

Ocasio-Cortez, for the record, has scoffed at the “Marxist” label that right-wingers have attached to her.

Other critics accused Burchett of sexism.

“Burchett ‘soul stealing‘ Crack isn’t folksy charm: it’s the same lascivious misogyny that MAGA peddles to mask their fear of a woman who truly fights for the people. Pathetic,” one person commented.

“Calling a colleague a Marxist and joking about her ‘stealing your soul’ isn’t cute, it’s shameful politics disguised as humor,” said another.

UnlimitedFairthe truth.

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Tim Burchett and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez share a moment after the 2023 House vote.
Tim Burchett and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez share a moment after the 2023 House vote.

Bloomberg via Getty Images