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New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is being accused of defaming President Donald Trump by calling him a "rapist" on social media amid controversy over the Department of Justice's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.
The far-left Democrat, who has traded barbs with Trump repeatedly across both of their political careers, weighed in on the current controversy surrounding disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in his New York City jail cell in 2019 after 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 to X on Friday. She appeared to be referencing the 2023 civil trial leveled against Trump by writer E. Jean Carroll. A jury found Trump liable of sexual assault, but not of rape, which critics of Ocasio-Cortez repeatedly cited in their condemnation of her use of the word "rapist."
The comments came after the Trump Department of Justice said there is no list of Epstein clients. But Trump supporters and legal experts alike warned AOC to lawyer up after dropping the "R" bomb.
"The President should sue AOC into bankruptcy. I realize she's trying to raise her profile but this is way way too far," legal analyst Phil Holloway posted to X on Saturday in response to a message from Ocasio-Cortez.
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"Even under the ridiculously lenient standards of NY Times v. Sullivan, you've managed to incur defamation liability Wow," Republican Utah Sen. 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 Sen. Markwayne Mullin posted in response to Ocasio-Cortez.
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"Well we have grounds for a huge defamation suit here you idiot because Donald Trump has never been indicted for rape much less convicted," host of YourVoice America Bill Mitchell 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 critics of the lawmaker's message said the use of the word "rapist" comes on the heels of ABC paying Trump $15 million, which will go toward funding his presidential library, over George Stephanopoulos' claim in March of last year that Trump was found civilly liable of rape in the E. Jean Carroll case. Trump has repeatedly denied even knowing Carroll, claiming she made false allegations that he raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s in an effort to sell books decades later.
"Donald Trump has not been criminally convicted of being a rapist. This is defamatory. And I hope you are sued by Trump for this the same way George Stephanopoulos was sued and forced to pay Trump $15 million dollars. I hope you have millions ready for Trump, Porky. @AOC," Trump ally Laura Loomer posted in response to Ocasio-Cortez.
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"This is gonna be fun. AOC is so dumb she just called Trump a rapist - after ABC was forced to fork over $16 million in a settlement with Trump after George Stephanopoulos called him a rapist," Townhall contributor Rachel Alexander posted to X.
In March 2024, Stephanopoulos asserted in a tense interview with Republican Rep. Nancy Mace that Trump was found "liable for rape" in a civil case. Stephanopoulos showed a clip of Mace discussing being a victim of rape before he asked her, "How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?"
"You've endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape," Stephanopoulos said, alluding to the legal victory by Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll.
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Stephanopoulos repeated the claim on rape 10 times during the interview, Fox Digital previously reported, before Trump filed a defamation suit. ABC News and Stephanopoulos reached a settlement agreement with Trump's legal team ahead of his second inauguration, paying $15 million and announcing the network and anchor "regret" the comments made on air.
"Editor's Note: ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC's This Week on March 10, 2024," an editor's note in an article focused on the interview states.
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.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office on Sunday for additional comment on the matter, but did not immediately receive a reply.
"AOC likes to play pretend like she's from the block, but in reality she's just a sad, miserable blockhead who is trying to over-compensate for her lack of self-confidence that has followed her for her entire life," White House communication director Steven Cheung said in comment provided to Fox News Digital on Sunday.
"Instead, she should get some serious help for her obvious and severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted her pea-sized brain," he added.
