Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) has become a rising figure in Democratic politics—and a frequent target of Republican criticism. Former President Donald Trump, in particular, has repeatedly singled her out, most recently calling her a “seriously low IQ individual” in a Truth Social rant that also attacked fellow progressive lawmakers Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).
In an interview with theGrio, Crockett dismissed Trump’s insult, noting the irony of the former president questioning her intelligence.
“Trump loves calling women of color ‘low IQ,’” Crockett said. “But I’m more educated than he is—AI even said so.”
She pointed to a post where someone asked Grok, the AI tool developed by Elon Musk’s company, who had more education between her and Trump. According to Crockett, “Grok laid it out—it’s me.”
Crockett, a civil rights attorney before entering Congress, believes Trump and his allies target her not because she’s unpopular—but because they know she resonates with voters, even among some Republicans.
“I think they’re nervous about me,” she said. “They’re doing everything they can to drive down my favorability within their own party. They’re not speaking to Democrats—they’re trying to discredit me with Republicans.”
Despite the attacks, Crockett says she’s received surprising praise from across the aisle. “I’ve had random Republicans come up to me and say, ‘We don’t agree with your policies, but we know you care about the country,’” she shared.
Crockett believes her authenticity is what makes her stand out in Washington. “I haven’t lost touch with the people. I still talk like them, fight like them, and stand with them.”
But her rising visibility has also brought real dangers. In the wake of political violence—including the recent killing of a Minnesota state legislator and the attempted assassination of another—Crockett says she’s on “high alert.”
“I’m constantly on Trump’s radar,” she said. “And we’ve seen how far his loyalists are willing to go—January 6 made that clear.”
Crockett criticized the lack of sufficient security funding for members of Congress. “A lot of our protection has to be paid for through our own campaign funds,” she said. “That’s unfortunate.”
Still, she’s grateful to the grassroots donors who help make that security possible. “The people are protecting me,” she said. “And that’s why I’ll always fight for them.”
“My supporters have my back—and I have theirs,” Crockett added. “Because right now, they’re the only ones making sure I stay safe, since Congress refuses to do what’s necessary.”
