New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez faces accusations of defaming President Donald Trump by labeling him a "rapist" on social media, amid ongoing controversy surrounding the Department of Justice's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.
The far-left Democrat, known for her frequent verbal sparring with Trump throughout their political careers, commented on the controversy involving disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in his New York City jail cell in 2019 while facing federal charges related to child sex trafficking.
"Wow, who would have thought that electing a rapist would have complicated the release of the Epstein Files?" Ocasio-Cortez posted on X on Friday. Her statement appears to reference the 2023 civil trial brought against Trump by writer E. Jean Carroll. A jury found Trump liable for sexual assault but not for rape, a distinction critics of Ocasio-Cortez have repeatedly highlighted in condemning her use of the term "rapist."
The comments followed the Trump Department of Justice's statement that no list of Epstein clients exists. However, Trump supporters and legal experts warned Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to seek legal counsel after her use of the term "rapist."
"The President should sue AOC into bankruptcy. I realize she’s trying to raise her profile, but this is way too far," legal analyst Phil Holloway posted to X on Saturday in response to Ocasio-Cortez’s message.
"Even under the ridiculously lenient standards of NY Times v. Sullivan, you’ve managed to incur defamation liability. Wow," Republican Utah Senator Mike Lee posted to X in response.
"Why didn’t you guys release the Epstein files over the last 4 years? Maybe you were too busy covering for Joe Biden… or, could it have something to do with another former Democrat President?" Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin posted in response to Ocasio-Cortez.
"Well, we have grounds for a huge defamation suit here, you idiot, because Donald Trump has never been indicted for rape, much less convicted," Bill Mitchell, host of YourVoice America, posted to X.
"You realize your X account doesn't carry the same protections to defame people that you enjoy during congressional proceedings?" another X account posted.
Other social media commenters defended Ocasio-Cortez's use of the word "rapist," arguing she did not use Trump's name in her post and that a defamation case was unlikely.