Subscribe for free to eliminate ads
Advertisement
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) may be confronting possible legal ramifications after posting on social media last Friday a message that some observers have deemed defamatory. The post labeled President Donald Trump a rapist, implying this characterization was linked to the administration’s decision to withhold the release of the Epstein files.
Advertisementads
Advertisement
This comment appears to be a reference to the legal dispute between Trump and former Elle Magazine advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, who was awarded damages after a federal jury found Trump guilty of sexually abusing her in the 1990s. However, the jury judged him not guilty of rape—a crucial distinction that Ocasio-Cortez’s statement overlooked.
Advertisement
Responses on social media quickly pointed out this important legal nuance and flagged the potential for legal trouble arising from an inaccurate public accusation. One commentator remarked it was “very strange that none of these allegations surfaced until his presidential campaign” and argued the post amounted to libel, suggesting any resulting lawsuit would be straightforward to win.
Advertisement
Another commenter hinted that Ocasio-Cortez would experience similar legal repercussions by pointing out that well-known people who made similar assertions had been successfully sued. Other voices underlined that Ocasio-Cortez should be careful not to make defamatory remarks because she is a lawmaker with a large audience, and reminded everyone that Trump has never been found guilty of rape.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Senator Mike Lee said that the tweet was defamatory even under the very permissive standards, citing the Supreme Court’s 1964 decision in New York Times v. Sullivan on X. There were also calls to remove the post, with one user speculating that George Stephanopoulos could propose doing so.
Notably, Trump had previously filed a lawsuit against Stephanopoulos and ABC last year after the host mistakenly claimed during an interview that Trump had been “found liable for rape.” The case was settled with the network agreeing to pay $15 million to Trump’s presidential library and an additional $1 million in legal fees, alongside issuing a public apology.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Outspoken Trump supporter Laura Loomer called Ocasio-Cortez’s post libel and said she hoped she would be sued like Stephanopoulos. While Ocasio-Cortez may be attempting to raise her profile, legal expert Phil Holloway weighed in and suggested that the president take legal action against her to the fullest extent possible, potentially bankrupting her; however, he then said that the accusation went too far.
In a statement, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung mocked Ocasio-Cortez, claiming she pretended to be from the block but was instead a sad, miserable blockhead trying to compensate for lifelong insecurities.
Cheung further suggested she seek professional help for what he described as a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that appeared to be impairing her judgment. This was not the first time Ocasio-Cortez publicly accused Trump of being a rapist. In January, before his inauguration, she posted a series of TikTok videos declining to attend the event, citing the presence of rapists as her reason.
In one video, she forcefully stated that rapists were not celebrated, as questions from reporters regarding her attendance were repeatedly refused. Therefore, it was stated that the inauguration scheduled for the following day would not be attended by her. At the time, it was reported by The Hill that although a clear connection to Trump’s inauguration was evident, the specific events being referenced by Ocasio-Cortez remained unclear.
Advertisement
Share the article to spread the truth
