Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is facing potential legal trouble after calling Donald Trump a “rapist” in a social media post that many critics argue could be defamatory. Referring to the controversy surrounding unreleased Jeffrey Epstein case files, AOC wrote on X: “Wow who would have thought that electing a rapist would have complicated the release of the Epstein Files.”

Critics quickly pointed out that while Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation in the E. Jean Carroll case, the jury did not find him liable for rape. Legal experts and commentators, including Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), warned that the remark could meet the threshold for defamation—even under the high bar set by New York Times v. Sullivan.

Trump allies have called on him to sue, comparing the situation to a previous defamation case Trump won against ABC and George Stephanopoulos, which resulted in a $15 million settlement.

Ocasio-Cortez has made similar claims in the past, fueling further calls for legal action and criticism of her conduct from political opponents.