Ocasio-Cortez Responds to Trump’s Remarks

New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez found herself at the center of controversy after President Donald Trump referred to him as a “rapeer” in a post on X. This has led to widespread accusations of defamation and calls for legal action against Trump.

In a tweet, Ocasio-Cortez questioned, “Who would have complicated the release of the Epstein Files?” This sparked a heated discussion online.

One commenter remarked, “You’ve been in office for over six years and no one from the party called for Epstein information until now. You all said it was a conspiracy theory.”

Several people pointed out that Trump would likely not face legal repercussions for a civil lawsuit related to writer E. Jean Carroll. Though a judge in New York ruled in 2023 that Trump was accountable for sexual abuse and defamation, he was not found liable for rape.

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) commented on the situation, mentioning that even under the relaxed standards of NY Times v. Sullivan, there might still be grounds for claims against Ocasio-Cortez regarding her comments.

Another user suggested that ABC News host George Stephanopoulos might have prudent advice for Ocasio-Cortez, given his own legal troubles with Trump.

Last year, Trump filed a lawsuit against Stephanopoulos and ABC News after the host alleged Trump had “bearing responsibility for the rape” during an interview. This case eventually settled in December 2024 for $16 million, including legal fees.

Laura Loomer criticized Ocasio-Cortez’s tweet as a “loss of honor” and urged Trump to pursue similar legal action against her.

On Saturday night, Ocasio-Cortez chose not to remove the post and did not address the backlash it received.