If we take a quick scan of the headlines, we'll find one prominent left-wing House member battling the Trump administration, the rest of her group… barely in view.
That person is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. And the once‑fearsome "Squad"? Its chorus has thinned to near silence. What’s behind it? How did a national movement flatten to one voice shouting into the void?
Let’s walk through it step-by-step.
AOC: Still Here. Still Fighting. Still Alone.
AOC is far from going quiet.
She exploded back into the spotlight when Trump ordered strikes on Iran; she called it “absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.” That’s not timid language. It’s a front‑footed confrontation.
She didn’t blink, she piled on, accusing Trump of betraying the Constitution and everyday Americans.
But inside Congress? None of that gained traction. The House tossed aside the impeachment effort by a much larger-than-expected margin, 344 to 79. Even more telling: 128 Democrats sided with Republicans to kill it.
Not a single Squad member threw her support behind her on the floor.
That’s your moment on the hill, your stand, your call for consequences.
She stood there alone.
Ilhan Omar: Quiet but Still Present
How about Ilhan Omar? She didn’t join the impeachment chorus, but she did push back on key policy points, particularly the budget.
Omar claimed that the “Big Beautiful Bill” slashed funding for SNAP, Medicaid, and clean energy. In town halls and statements, she warned about the consequences for working families. However, nothing went viral; she wasn’t featured on Sunday shows, and she didn’t dominate the narrative.
That's necessarily doing nothing, but it's not the noisy Squad we've all come to know.
Omar's is still part of the cacophony, but just now nearly as loud.
Everyone Else? Radio Silence
What the heck happened to the rest of the Squad? Tlaib, Pressley, Bowman, and Bush have essentially disappeared.
Pressley is still a member of the House, but she's no longer a regular in national media. She's no longer combative, leading impeachment calls, and no longer trending.
Tlaib is also still talking, but mainly in committee rooms or her local press. She's no longer working hard to create national waves.
Both Bush and Bowman lost in primaries last year, and they're no longer near the left's limelight.
Look at the path the Squad has been on. They went from the featured story to a footnote in history. They didn't fall prey to scandal (Omar keeps slipping through) but to crickets.
Why So Quiet?
There are several possible reasons why the Squad has become quiet, including:
- Being a member of the Squad was a 24/7/365 job, which is exhausting because flashy politics comes with a toll.
- Maybe they've grown up a little. Instead of appearing on stage, fists waving, perhaps they're concentrating on staying relevant on local issues, winning seats, and passing bills.
- Trump's overpowering resurgence changed how the game was played. Perhaps the squad paused to regroup and work on new strategies.
What politicians have learned over the years is that a strategic pause results in being forgotten.
What Did They Lose?
To be successful, politicians need attention, solidarity with their allies, and regular coverage in mainstream mediaThe result of that formula equals momentum.
The test for relevance was their impeachment effort. The failure to move the needle resulted in their silence.
Echoes from Other Movements
Their story's pattern is old. Recent history tells the familiar tale.
The Tea Party held town halls and marched with momentum into Congress. The party fractured only a few election cycles later.
Occupy Wall Street emerged in 2011 but ultimately fizzled.
Gen Z activists attempted to gain power through local initiatives, but when their national platforms disappeared, they also fell silent.
The Squad began with promise, which is what matters most. Promise needs a presence. When that presence no longer holds as much meaning as it once did, it fades into darkness.
Is a Bounceback Possible?
Politically, anything is possible. The Squad might rally in response to a Supreme Court decision and lead protest votes, hammering out bills for healthcare or debt ceilings.
The Squad could rally, but they haven't.
AOC goes on tour with a dinosaur, yelling into the wind. Omar "politely" whispers policy. The rest? You'll find them at district events, sending out press releases, but you'll never see them on CNN prime time.
Like any organization with shared goals, the collapse of coordinated action yields performative theater rather than influence.
What Losing the Microphone Looks Like
I can't emphasize this enough: an impeachment vote that doesn’t move, a scream that doesn't have any replies or a policy fight with two people on a stage.
When that microphone disappears, that's what happens. Their public perceptions have evolved to the point that AOC becomes a lone protester, and Omar is the professor of policy, no longer an activist.
All other members of the Squad are merely names in the guest book, silenced by their irrelevance.
When what you stand for is your lack of standing, the stand doesn’t stand much.
What Happens Next?
If they’re smart, they’ll regroup. They could
- Form a new coalition, progressive conference or caucus
- Make media appearances. Announce bills. Tie issues to voter pain: health care, inflation, student loans
- Import old energy: rallies, press conferences, Fox buffets, Tucker fights. Mosh pit style communication.
Or they scrimp back into districts, filing op-eds nobody reads and LinkedIn posts nobody shares. Quiet, but forgotten.
It Matters Because Democracy Lives on Debate
When I was a young (with a face made for it) radio reporter in Eau Claire, Wisc., I was speaking with the city manager after a contentious city hall meeting. This was a candid conversation between a wet behind the ears and an old pro.
After I mentioned the vitriol and volume of the meeting, he shared a concept that none of my history professors seemed to know: successful government requires conflict. When strong men make valid arguments, the compromise becomes law. Hopefully, good laws.
Leaders working in bubbles, such as Presidents Obama and Biden, forget this lesson and hire parrots with aneurysms as important staff members whose echoes are scrambled as severely as their brains. Instead of pushing back on insipid ideas, they would nod their beaks and declare the presidents as great and genius leaders.
Movements are not sustainable when only a single voice speaks, destroying any potential factions and disrupters. It's then that the opposition must be louder than the leader; otherwise, the opposition's echo fades.
When a single side dominates the narrative, democracy slips down the slope.
If this represents where the Squad stands now, then the results have been written.
Final Word
Although its name still carries some weight, it's not much when only two members of the Squad show up.
Say what you will about AOC, but she's a strong woman who believes what she screams. However strong she is, she stands alone.
If the Squad wants to regain relevance, they will need to relearn how to walk in lockstep, pressed together, back to back, and build momentum.
Because a political thunder needs a chorus.
Right now, only one speaker is tuned.
The rest?
Static.
