FACT CHECK: Did Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Say, ‘9/11 Wasn’t That Big Of A Deal’?
A post shared on Facebook claims Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, “9/11 wasn’t that big of a deal.”
Verdict: False
The quote appears to have stemmed from a satirical article. Ocasio-Cortez recently shared a statement honoring the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Fact Check:
Ocasio-Cortez has often been the subject of online misinformation. This particular Facebook post, shared on the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, claims the New York congresswoman made a comment downplaying the severity of attacks, claiming she said, “9/11 wasn’t that big of a deal.”
But there is no evidence Ocasio-Cortez made such a comment. The statement does not appear on any of her verified social media accounts, nor on her congressional website. Had she said such a thing, media outlets would have almost certainly reported on it, yet none have.
The quote appears to stem from an article, titled, “Ocasio-Cortez: ‘9/11 Wasn’t That Big a Deal,'” that was published on Daily World Update, a website that describes itself as being part of a “network of parody, satire, and tomfoolery.” While Daily World Update includes several disclaimers that its content is satirical, the Facebook post fails to give a similar warning, a common way misinformation spreads online.
Ocasio-Cortez posted a statement remembering the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on her Twitter and Facebook pages. (RELATED: Did Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Tweet That Governors Should ‘Maintain Restrictions On Businesses Until After The November Elections’?)
Today, we pause to honor and to mourn the 2,753 New Yorkers taken from us. We recall how this City, in the face of incalculable human loss and total shattered normalcy, found a way forward. We pledge to never forget.
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) September 11, 2020
“Today, we pause to honor and to mourn the 2,753 New Yorkers taken from us,” she tweeted. “We recall how this City, in the face of incalculable human loss and total shattered normalcy, found a way forward. We pledge to never forget.”
