Headline that quotes AOC talking about socialism is satire | Fact check
The claim: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, 'If socialism doesn't work, why are all my socialist friends in DC multimillionaires?'
A June 7 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows a headline with a statement purportedly from New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
It reads, "AOC: If socialism doesn't work, why are all my socialist friends in DC multimillionaires?"
Similar posts appeared on Threads and X, formerly Twitter.
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Our rating: False
The claim originated on a satirical website. There is no evidence that Ocasio-Cortez made any statement similar to what appears in the headline.
Headline originated on satirical website
The headline stems from a September 2021 article from the Genesius Times, a satirical website that labels itself as the "most reliable source of fake news on the planet." The Facebook post, however, gives no indication of the headline's satirical origins.
There is no evidence that Ocasio-Cortez made any statement similar to the quote attributed to her in the satirical headline. Nothing comparable to the headline appears in the Democratic congresswoman's news releases or social media posts, nor is it in any credible news reports about her making such a statement.
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The claim is an example of what could be called "stolen satire," where content created as satire and presented that way originally is reposted in a way that makes it appear to be legitimate news. As a result, readers of the second-generation post are misled, as was the case here.
Ocasio-Cortez has been a frequent target of misinformation since she became the youngest woman elected to Congress in 2018. She will again be her New York district's Democratic candidate in the November election after fending off a challenger who positioned himself as a moderate alternative in the June 25 primary, as USA TODAY previously reported.
USA TODAY has previously debunked false claims about Ocasio-Cortez, including that she held an event opposite Trump’s May 2024 Bronx rally, that she faced jail time for campaign finance violations and that she has a net worth of $29 million.
USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Reuters also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
Genesius Times, Sept. 30, 2021, AOC: If socialism doesn't work, why are all my socialist friends in DC multimillionaires?
Genesius Times, accessed June 26, Home
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez website, accessed June 26, Press releases
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, accessed June 26, Facebook page
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, accessed June 26, Instagram page
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, accessed June 26, X page
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Satirical AOC socialism quote shared as if real | Fact check
