AOC Comes Under Fire For “Rapist” Tweet Targeting Trump, Sparks Calls To “Sue Her”
On Friday, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York stirred up massive controversy online after she posted a message on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, calling former President Donald Trump “a rapist.” Her comment came as she was reacting to the release of files connected to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier involved in years of sex abuse scandals. AOC wrote, “Wow, who would have thought that electing a rapist would have complicated the release of the Epstein Files?”
This message quickly exploded across social media. Some people cheered her on, praising her for speaking boldly, but many others were furious, accusing her of crossing the line and demanding that Trump take legal action against her.
Senator Mike Lee from Utah was among the first major political figures to respond. He reminded the public that while Trump had been found liable for sexual abuse and defamation in a 2023 civil case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, the court did not find him liable for rape under New York’s legal standards. Lee suggested that AOC’s use of the word “rapist” was not only false but could be legally damaging. He even mentioned the famous Supreme Court case New York Times v. Sullivan, which sets a high bar for public figures to win libel lawsuits, and said that even under that standard, AOC might have exposed herself to a defamation case.
Others on social media were quick to compare this to another recent high-profile legal case involving Trump. In 2024, Trump sued ABC News and well-known anchor George Stephanopoulos after Stephanopoulos said on air that Trump had been “found liable for rape.” That lawsuit ended with ABC reportedly paying Trump a massive $16 million settlement, which included $15 million to his Presidential Library Foundation and another $1 million to cover legal fees. ABC also issued a public apology.
Trump supporters online, including activist Laura Loomer, were loud in calling for Trump to sue AOC. Loomer wrote on X that she hoped Trump would go after AOC the same way he did with Stephanopoulos. Legal expert Phil Holloway joined in, saying that Trump should “sue AOC into bankruptcy,” showing just how heated the reactions became.
Even officials from Trump’s own circle joined the attack. Steven Cheung, the White House Communication Director, released a sharp and personal statement, calling AOC a “sad, miserable blockhead” and saying she suffered from “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” a term Trump allies often use to suggest that his critics are obsessed with hating him.
By Saturday night, AOC had not deleted the tweet or made any public statements in response to the growing backlash. The situation has sparked a wider debate about the power and risk of words on social media, especially when public figures are involved. It raises questions about where free speech ends and defamation begins, particularly when the statements refer to past legal cases that were already complicated and controversial.
Many people are watching closely to see if Trump will actually file a lawsuit against AOC or if this will turn into another drawn-out media fight. The incident also adds fuel to the already tense political climate in the United States, where accusations, lawsuits, and harsh public statements have become common between political rivals.
