AOC recently drew attention online after openly documenting her choice to freeze her eggs on Instagram.
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: As speculation builds regarding a potential run in the 2028 presidential election, a fabricated quote has been making the rounds on social media. The post falsely attributes a statement to New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez about capitalism, socialism, and oppression, prompting widespread mockery and a necessary fact-check.
The Claim: Did AOC say socialism reverses capitalist oppression?
According to a viral post circulating on X, Ocasio-Cortez allegedly stated, “Under capitalism, man oppresses man. Under socialism, it’s the other way around.”
The alleged quote quickly gained traction, ridiculing the congresswoman by suggesting she accidentally claimed that socialism simply inverts the dynamics of oppression. Social media users across Facebook, Instagram, and X propelled the post past the 200,000-view mark.
Fact Check: The quote is entirely fabricated
In reality, the claim is completely false. The 36-year-old lawmaker never uttered these words, and there are no official transcripts, video clips, or social media records of her making such a statement.
A thorough search of credible news archives yields no evidence linking the Democratic politician to the remark. Instead, historical searches trace the origin of the expression to an old, cynical Soviet-era joke, which has occasionally been misattributed to economist Russ Roberts as well.
Ocasio-Cortez navigates 2028 rumors alongside personal milestones
This misinformation arrives as political analysts increasingly include Ocasio-Cortez in conversations about potential contenders for the 2028 presidential race, following a strong showing by progressives in recent primaries.
While AOC has not officially announced a presidential bid, she has notably declined to rule out a future run.
Outside of politics, she recently captured public attention by sharing her personal journey of freezing her eggs via Instagram, giving her followers an unfiltered look into the procedure and her reasoning behind it.
“This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life,” she explained to her audience.
Addressing the backlash and commentary that followed her announcement, she later added on social media, “I was born a woman, period. And I have no control over that, and I wouldn’t want to change that.” She concluded, “So I might as well help others.”