Catholic Bishop Robert Barron said remarks by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and language used by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani reflected what he described as a growing influence of Marxist ideology among U.S. political leaders.

Barron made the comments in a video posted to social media, saying he was responding to Ocasio-Cortez’s recent public remarks about culture and class struggle.

“A recent statement by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez illuminates the Marxist ideology which continues to take hold of American politicians,” Barron said in the video. “Here are my thoughts.”

Barron said Ocasio-Cortez’s response to a speech by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Munich showed a materialist view of society that prioritized economic conditions and class conflict over culture and religion.

He summarized her position as arguing that culture was “thin” and constantly changing and that political focus should be on “material foundations” and “class struggle.” Barron said that approach followed what he called a Marxist framework that treated culture as secondary to economic structures.

A recent statement by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez illuminates the Marxist ideology which continues to take hold of American politicians. Here are my thoughts. pic.twitter.com/Edgy0smzeb

— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) February 16, 2026

“To characterize culture as thin is a Marxist move,” Barron said, adding that Karl Marx viewed culture as a byproduct of economic systems.

Barron said he was concerned that such ideas were increasingly visible in U.S. politics.

“What’s worrying me is the extent to which political leadership on the left in America is becoming unapologetically Marxist,” he said.

He also referred to the rhetoric of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, saying the mayor was using language associated with Marxist ideology.

“He’s calling for the confiscation of private property, of seizing the means of production,” Barron said. “All language right out of the Communist Manifesto.”

Barron said his concern extended beyond political disagreement.

“It concerns me not just as someone who follows politics, but as a bishop of the Catholic Church,” he said.

Barron argued that Marxist systems historically targeted religion, citing Marx’s view that religion should be critiqued and eliminated.

“The first thing that the Marxist tyrannies went after, in most cases, was religion,” he said. “As a religious leader, this is concerning me quite a bit.”

He urged viewers to pay close attention to the words used by political leaders.

“Attend to the language,” Barron said. “In a way, they’re telling us who they are and what they’re for, and I think that should be very concerning to everybody.”

Ocasio-Cortez made the remarks Barron referenced during a discussion in Germany about U.S. politics and the role of young people. She criticized Rubio’s appeal to Western culture and said culture was fluid and shaped by material conditions, adding that political responses should be based on class and economic interests.

AOC slams Rubio's pro-West speech & calls for "class based internationalism" instead pic.twitter.com/xQERTqa5ji

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 15, 2026

Mamdani has previously used language aligned with concepts Barron criticized. In a 2020 social media post, Mamdani said full participation in the economy would require “worker ownership of the means of production.”

If we want everyone to be full participants in the economy, we need worker ownership of the means of production. https://t.co/yd6Kjjo0gS

— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) December 2, 2020

In another post that year, he said housing should be decommodified and guaranteed by the state rather than primarily accessed through the market.

People often ask what socialists mean when we say we want to "decommodify" housing.

Basically, we want to move away from a situation where most people access housing by purchasing it on the market & toward a situation where the state guarantees high-quality housing to all. (1/8)

— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) December 3, 2020

In a separate post, he said socialism meant “taking back money the rich stole from everyone else.”

Socialism doesn't mean stealing money from the rich.

It means taking back money the rich stole from everyone else. https://t.co/XWaDvdfM2G

— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) September 17, 2020

Barron said his objections were rooted in both political and religious concerns.

“I’m getting a little concerned that in some of these leading figures in our own politics, a Marxist philosophy is taking hold,” he said. “As a religious leader, this is concerning me quite a bit.”

Barron has served as bishop of the Diocese of Winona–Rochester since 2022 and is a prominent Catholic theologian and media figure.