A post shared on Facebook claims Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, “I don’t need truckers. I get my food at the grocery store.”

Verdict: False

The quote stems from a satirical article. A spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez denied the congresswoman made the alleged statement.

Fact Check:

A convoy of Canadian truck drivers and other individuals descended on Ottawa on Jan. 29 to protest COVID-19 regulations imposed by the Canadian government, according to the Toronto Star. Many protesters stayed for weeks but have since been forcefully cleared from the city by Ottawa police, the New York Post reported.

A post shared on Facebook claims Ocasio-Cortez offered her thoughts on the situation in Canada by saying, “I don’t need truckers. I get my food at the grocery store.” The post includes an image of the congresswoman along with text that reads, “Deep Thoughts By AOC.”

There is no record of Ocasio-Cortez making this claim. It does not appear in any of her press releases or social media posts. There is likewise no trace of the alleged quote in the congressional record. Lauren Hitt, Ocasio-Cortez’s communications director, told Check Your Fact in an email that the representative did not make the statement.

An internet search reveals the alleged statement was first published in a Feb. 1 article by the Genesius Times, which describes itself as “the most reliable source of fake news on the planet.” The article includes the same image shared in the Facebook post. (RELATED: Did Ontario Police Report 2.3 Million People Attended The Trucker Convoy Protest In Ottawa?)

This is not the first time a fake quote about truckers has been attributed to Ocasio-Cortez. In July 2019, Check Your Fact debunked a Facebook image that claimed she said, “Private truck drivers are destroying America.”