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New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez branded Donald Trump a “rapist” as the administration continues to face fallout from MAGA faithfuls and far-left foes alike over the release of information about disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
“Wow who would have thought that electing a rapist would have complicated the release of the Epstein Files?” the socialist-leaning congresswoman, better known by her initials AOC, wrote on X Friday.
The president was found civilly liable for sexually abusing and defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll in 2023. Trump has maintained his innocence.
It comes as Trump and top members of the administration sparked outrage after announcing that a so-called “client list” belonging to Epstein did not exist, and that he died by suicide — in contrast to popular MAGA conspiracy theories.
The report has also pitted Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Deputy Chief Dan Bongino against each other, with the latter reportedly not turning up for work on Friday.
In response to Ocasio-Cortez’s post on X, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said: “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 overcompensate for her lack of self-confidence that has followed her for her entire life.”
“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 said, in a statement shared with the Daily Beast.
Trump himself has also lashed out at AOC, who is a persistent and vocal critic of his administration. Last month, the president called her “stupid AOC” and the “dumbest member of Congress.”
Controversy over the Epstein files rumbles over a month after billionaire Elon Musk accused the president of appearing in the “Epstein files,” – redacted court documents that name his alleged associates and victims. Epstein died shortly after he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.
At a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, Trump shut down a reporter’s question about the Epstein files. “Are you still talking about Jeffery Epstein?” Trump asked. “This guy’s been talked about for years.”