Stephen Miller, who served as a deputy chief of staff in the Trump administration, stated on Wednesday that the influence of what he termed the “woke 1” era remains active and impactful. Miller’s remarks were a direct response to recent commentary from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) concerning the political landscape of that period.

During his critique, Miller asserted that the consequences of these progressive policies have had tangible negative effects on the country. Specifically, he claimed that the implementation of these policies led to a “historic increase in murders” across the United States. He further argued that this trend in violent crime only began to reverse following the intervention and policies enacted by former President Donald Trump.

While Miller frames the current political environment as a continuation of these earlier policies, he provides a narrative that contrasts sharply with the perspective of progressive lawmakers like Ocasio-Cortez, who generally argue that their policy goals are aimed at social equity and justice. The Hill’s report focuses on Miller’s characterization of these policies as a primary driver of public safety issues. The report does not include a direct rebuttal from Ocasio-Cortez or other progressive figures regarding Miller's specific claims about crime statistics or the definition of the 'woke' era. Consequently, the article presents Miller’s assessment of the political climate and his interpretation of crime data without providing counter-arguments or independent verification of the causal link he suggests between specific political ideologies and murder rates.