Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-CortezOn The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline McCarthy says there will be a peaceful transition if Biden wins Anxious Democrats amp up pressure for vote on COVID-19 aid MORE (D-N.Y.) in a new interview defended her criticism of Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Trump signs largely symbolic pre-existing conditions order amid lawsuit MORE (D-Calif.) for "singling out" minority members of the House Democratic Caucus, vowing to continue to "stand up" for her progressive allies.

Ocasio-Cortez told the New York Daily News that she would continue to defend her allies in Congress against attacks from party leadership, which in the past she called "disrespectful."

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“While I try to be kind, I also stand up for myself and other colleagues,” the first-term progressive lawmaker said.

“It does create some of that discomfort,” she acknowledged, adding: “But if we don’t actively try to be better, then we’re only going to have one option and that’s not going to be the best one.”

Ocasio-Cortez went on to explain that she wanted to broaden voters' views of what is possible for the federal government to achieve, a view that puts her in natural conflict with the party's moderates.

“I’m not trying to drive my colleagues out. I’m trying to challenge voters,” she said. “I’m trying to challenge folks who cast votes to think, ‘maybe we can go further.’"

Ocasio-Cortez's remarks come after Pelosi targeted her and several other freshman Democratic congresswomen, known as "the squad," over their votes against a border security and aid funding bill. President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE later criticized the four lawmakers — Ocasio-Cortez and Reps. Ilhan Omar Ilhan OmarOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' Democrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise MORE (D-Minn.), Rashida Tlaib Rashida Harbi TlaibTrump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' George Conway: 'Trump is like a practical joke that got out of hand' Pelosi endorses Kennedy in Massachusetts Senate primary challenge MORE (D-Mich.) and Ayanna Pressley Ayanna PressleyFauci, Black Lives Matter founders included on Time's 100 Most Influential People list Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' Pressley applauded on House floor after moving speech on living with alopecia MORE (D-Mass.) — in tweets that they and others said were racist.

The House later condemned Trump's remarks in a resolution led by Pelosi, who also argued that the president's remarks were racist.