Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez urges Democrats to focus on student debt, abortion rights in 2024

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. said Sunday President Joe Biden should be doing more to promote his own domestic agenda, rather than rely on attacks against former President Donald Trump as both men seek a second term in office.

"I think we can certainly do more to be advancing our vision," Ocasio-Cortez said on NBC's "Meet The Press," adding that Biden and the Democrats should talk more about health care, student loan debt and abortion rights.

Ocasio-Cortez, one of the leading progressive voices in the Democratic Party, also said Trump has "extraordinary vulnerabilities" as he seeks reelection, including including criminal indictments, major lawsuits and and lagging support from moderate voters.

But as Biden seeks to build a broad coalition in 2024, Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday also did not say whether Biden has directly reached out to her about his reelection bid.

"We've been in contact with the Biden administration throughout my term and throughout his term, as well," she said.

The Biden campaign in a statement later on Sunday said the president is already trying to pursue many of the issues Ocasio-Cortez outlined, including health care and Medicare.

On the foreign policy front, the New York Democrat called on the United States to push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, saying young Americans are "appalled at the violence and the indiscriminate loss of life."

Her comments come as talks intensified Sunday on a potential agreement under which Israel would pause military operations against Hamas for two months in exchange for the release of more than 100 remaining hostages.

Contributing: John Bacon, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024: Ocasio-Cortez urges Biden to focus on student debt, abortion