Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, commonly known as AOC, is a prominent American politician and activist. She has served as the U.S. Representative for New York's 14th congressional district since 2019. As a member of the Democratic Party, she is known for her progressive political views and active use of social media to engage with constituents and the public. She has been a vocal advocate for policies addressing climate change, economic inequality, and social justice, often championing proposals such as the Green New Deal and Medicare for All.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

February 2018: Criticism of ICE

In February 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez expressed support for defunding and abolishing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calling it "a product of the Bush-era Patriot Act suite of legislation" and "an enforcement agency that takes on more of a paramilitary tone every single day".

May 2018: Criticism of Israel Defense Forces' use of force in Gaza

In May 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized the Israel Defense Forces' use of deadly force against Palestinians participating in the 2018 Gaza border protests, calling it a "massacre" in a tweet.

June 28, 2018: Support for Trump's First Impeachment

On June 28, 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told CNN she would support the first impeachment of President Trump, citing Trump's alleged violations of the Emoluments Clause and saying that everyone should be held accountable.

July 2018: Statement on two-state solution and Israeli occupation

In July 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stated she was "a proponent of a two-state solution" and referred to Israel's presence in the West Bank as an "occupation of Palestine", drawing backlash from pro-Israel groups.

March 2019: Target of Hoax Claims

In March 2019, PolitiFact reported that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was a primary target of hoax claims, including fake quotes and photos, despite being a freshman in Congress, with some originating from 4chan and r/The_Donald.

June 2019: Comparison of Detention Centers to Concentration Camps

In June 2019, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez compared the detention centers for undocumented immigrants under the Trump administration to "concentration camps", citing expert analysis.

July 14, 2019: Trump's Attack on the Squad

On July 14, 2019, President Trump attacked 'the Squad', including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, in a tweet, suggesting they should "go back and help fix" their countries of origin, prompting Ocasio-Cortez to label his words as "hallmark language of white supremacists."

July 2019: Fake Quotes Attributed to Ocasio-Cortez

By July 2019, fake material attributed statements originally said by Trump to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, such as "I have a very good brain and I've said lots of things."

July 2019: Vote against resolution condemning Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement

In July 2019, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez voted against a House resolution condemning the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement targeting Israel.

July 2019: Lawsuits Filed Over Twitter Blocking

In July 2019, two lawsuits were filed against Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for blocking Joey Salads and Dov Hikind on Twitter, citing a violation of the First Amendment based on a similar ruling against President Trump.

July 18, 2019: Police Officer's Threat

On July 18, 2019, a police officer from Gretna, Louisiana, named Charlie Rispoli, posted an apparent threat to shoot Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Facebook, leading to his termination and the deletion of his account.

November 4, 2019: Settlement and Apology for Twitter Blocking Lawsuit

On November 4, 2019, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez settled the lawsuit against her for blocking users on Twitter and issued an apology, following the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on similar cases.

July 20, 2020: Accosted by Ted Yoho and Roger Williams

On July 20, 2020, U.S. Representatives Ted Yoho and Roger Williams accosted Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the Capitol steps. Yoho called her "disgusting" and a "fucking bitch" after she suggested poverty and unemployment were driving a crime spike in New York City. Yoho later apologized for the "abrupt manner of the conversation" but not for his "passion", leading to a response from Ocasio-Cortez about the culture of violence against women.

2020: Announcing impeachment against supreme court justices.

Following the Supreme Court's ruling in Trump v. United States, in July 2024, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced she would file articles of impeachment against justices. She introduced articles of impeachment against Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito on July 10, co-sponsored by seven House Democrats, accusing the justices of failing to recuse themselves from cases despite personal bias and not disclosing lavish gifts they received. The resolution cited the involvement of Ginni Thomas in attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

January 3, 2021: Accusation of Impeachable Offense

On January 3, 2021, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that the Trump–Raffensperger phone call constituted an impeachable offense and called it a "despicable abuse of power".

February 2021: Response to Reopening of Migrant Child Center

In February 2021, when the Biden administration reopened a Carrizo Springs, Texas, center to house unaccompanied migrant children, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded that such actions "never will be okay—no matter the administration or party".

May 2021: Condemnation of Israeli actions in East Jerusalem

In May 2021, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemned Israel's evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem and criticized President Biden's stance on the issue.

September 2021: Ethics Complaint Filed Over Met Gala Attendance

In September 2021, the American Accountability Foundation filed an ethics complaint against Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for attending the Met Gala, claiming her $35,000 ticket was an illegal gift from Condé Nast.

September 23, 2021: Vote change on funding for Israel's Iron Dome

On September 23, 2021, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez changed her vote from "no" to "present" on a bill providing $1 billion for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, citing the "hateful targeting" she received. She apologized for her vote but maintained her opposition to the bill.

November 2021: Paul Gosar's social media post depicting violence against Ocasio-Cortez

In November 2021, Representative Paul Gosar posted an edited anime video depicting him attacking and killing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. This led to calls for investigation and censure, with Ocasio-Cortez condemning the video as part of a pattern normalizing violence. The House voted to censure Gosar.

2021: Attends Met Gala

In 2021, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attended the Met Gala, a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, wearing a gown with the phrase "Tax the Rich". As an elected official, her ticket was complimentary.

March 2022: Call for Clarence Thomas Resignation

In March 2022, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called on Justice Clarence Thomas to resign over his wife's texts urging President Trump's chief of staff to overturn the 2020 presidential election, raising a possible impeachment effort if he did not.

June 2022: Judicial Coup Tweet

In June 2022, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted that the U.S. was "witnessing a judicial coup in progress" after consequential rulings by the Supreme Court and the granting of certiorari to Moore v. Harper.

June 2022: Call for Impeachment of Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh

In June 2022, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for the impeachment of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, alleging they lied under oath about their views on Roe during their confirmation hearings.

July 18, 2023: Vote Against Resolution on Israel

On July 18, 2023, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and eight other progressive Democrats voted against a congressional non-binding resolution that stated "the State of Israel is not a racist or apartheid state", that Congress rejects "all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia", and that "the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel". She argued against pairing accusations of antisemitism with human rights concerns.

March 22, 2024: Characterization of Israel's Actions as Genocide

On March 22, 2024, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez characterized Israel's assault on Gaza and the Gaza Strip famine as genocide.

June 2024: High Court Gift Ban Act

In June 2024, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, along with Representative Jamie Raskin, introduced the "High Court Gift Ban Act", to impose restrictions on the gifts given to justices, following reports that Clarence Thomas accepted undisclosed gifts. She criticized the court for being "corrupted by money and extremism".

September 18, 2024: Condemnation of Israel for Lebanon Pager Explosions

On September 18, 2024, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemned Israel for the 2024 Lebanon pager explosions.

2024: Boycott of Netanyahu's Speech

In 2024, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez boycotted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress, referring to him as a war criminal.

2024: Comment on UnitedHealthcare CEO Killing

In 2024, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez commented on the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, stating that while violence is not justified, people may feel that denied claims are an act of violence against them.