Liberal New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s quest to take on President Donald Trump just took an unexpected detour — and put her right into the middle of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
AOC just evoked Epstein in her latest attack against Trump to galvanize her progressive supporters. But legal experts warn that the move could land her in a courtroom if she’s not careful, courtesy of Trump himself.
AOC and Trump have traded barbs repeatedly across both of their political careers. But AOC perhaps threw the biggest punch when she decided to weigh in on the current controversy surrounding Epstein.
AOC is now being accused of defaming Trump by calling him a “rapist” on social media amid controversy over the Department of Justice’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.
“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.
Wow who would have thought that electing a rapist would have complicated the release of the Epstein Files?
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 11, 2025
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.
Critics of AOC and legal experts quickly pounced on the off-the-cuff remark, citing in their condemnation of her use of the word “rapist” and warning her that it could end up in a nasty legal battle with Trump.
“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.
“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.
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? https://t.co/6J5bl6lR7W
— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) July 12, 2025
“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.
Well we have grounds for a huge defamation suit here you idiot because Donald Trump has never been indicted for rape much less convicted. https://t.co/cTctBaypbk
— Bill Mitchell (@mitchellvii) July 11, 2025
Legal experts also warned that AOC’s use of the word rapist has legal grounds.
Critics of the use of the word “rapist” as it 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.
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.
Stephanopoulos repeated the claim on rape 10 times during the interview, according to Fox News, 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.
AOC’s office has not officially commented on her post at the time of publication.