New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has ignited a firestorm with a single social media post that’s got Trump supporters and legal minds buzzing with outrage.
Fox News reported that her comment, tying President Donald Trump to the Jeffrey Epstein case with a pointed jab, has critics calling for defamation lawsuits, claiming she’s crossed a serious line with her choice of words.
On Friday, Ocasio-Cortez took to X with a post that didn’t mince words, stating, “Wow who would have thought that electing a rapist would have complicated the release of the Epstein Files?”
That quip, seemingly referencing a 2023 civil trial where a jury found Trump liable for sexual assault but not rape in a case involving writer E. Jean Carroll, has drawn sharp condemnation. Critics argue she’s misrepresenting the legal outcome, and they’re not holding back.
“The President should sue AOC into bankruptcy,” declared Phil Holloway, a legal commentator, suggesting her attempt to boost her profile went way off the rails. One has to wonder if Holloway’s right—when does a political jab become a costly legal misstep?</
Sen. Mike Lee chimed in too, noting, “Even under the ridiculously lenient standards of NY Times v. Sullivan, you’ve managed to incur defamation liability.” If even seasoned politicians see this as a potential legal quagmire, perhaps Ocasio-Cortez should’ve thought twice before hitting ‘post.’
The Epstein angle in her comment ties into the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while facing federal charges for child sex trafficking.
The Trump Department of Justice has stated there’s no client list related to Epstein, which muddies the waters of Ocasio-Cortez’s insinuation. What exactly was she aiming at with this connection?
Trump, for his part, has consistently denied knowing Carroll, dismissing her allegations of an assault in a department store dressing room in the 1990s as fabrications meant to sell books. The jury’s finding of liability for sexual assault, but not rape, is a distinction that critics say Ocasio-Cortez conveniently ignored.
“Donald Trump has not been criminally convicted of being a rapist. This is defamatory,” tweeted Laura Loomer, hoping Trump sues for millions, just as ABC News and George Stephanopoulos had to settle for $15 million after similar missteps. It’s a hefty reminder that words have weight, especially in the court of public opinion—and potentially a courtroom.
Speaking of ABC, their settlement came after Stephanopoulos repeatedly claimed on air during a March 10 interview with Rep. Nancy Mace that Trump was found liable for rape, a statement made multiple times in one segment.
ABC later issued a regretful editor’s note for the remarks, but not before shelling out a significant sum to Trump’s legal team. “How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?” Stephanopoulos pressed Mace, doubling down on the inaccurate claim.
If a major network can be held accountable for such errors, critics argue, why should a congresswoman’s social media post get a pass?
Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office on Sunday for clarification, but no response was forthcoming. Meanwhile, some X users defended her, pointing out she didn’t name Trump directly, suggesting a defamation suit might be a long shot. Still, in today’s polarized climate, nuance often gets lost in the noise.
Others, like Sen. Markwayne Mullin, shifted focus, asking, “Why didn’t you guys release the Epstein files over the last 4 years?”
It’s a fair question—why bring this up now, and why with such loaded language? The timing and tone seem more about scoring points than seeking truth.
Steven Cheung, a Trump spokesperson, didn’t hold back either, calling Ocasio-Cortez’s behavior a sign of “Trump Derangement Syndrome” that’s clouded her judgment. While his words are sharp, they reflect a broader frustration among Trump’s base that progressive figures often paint with too broad a brush.