FACT CHECK: Video Of AOC Suggesting Trip To The Sun Is AI-Generated
A video shared on Instagram allegedly shows Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggesting a trip to the sun “to study the effects of global warming.”
View this post on Instagram
Verdict: False
The video is AI-generated. The original footage is from an interview Ocasio-Cortez had with “Face the Nation,” in which she does not make these comments.
Fact Check:
Ocasio-Cortez has warned that the White House’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict could impact President Joe Biden’s chances for reelection in 2024, according to CNN. She mentioned that this could specifically affect his standing with young people the outlet reported.
The Instagram post purports Ocasio-Cortez suggested traveling to the sun. The video appears to show Ocasio-Cortez suggesting an idea to “study the effects of global warming” by convincing SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to conduct a mission to the sun to “get samples.”
Text overlaid on the video reads, “Not actually the dumbest idea she’s had…”
This video is not genuine, however. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to corroborate the claim. (RELATED: Did AOC Say No Hurricanes Occurred Until Cars Were Invented?)
The video was also posted by an X account with a disclaimer that reads “doctored videos” in its bio. In this video, the account’s watermark “drefanzor” can be seen, which is too small to distinguish in the Instagram video. The original video of Ocasio-Cortez was an interview with “Face the Nation” in which she does not make any such comments. In the Instagram video, the “Face the Nation” logo has been altered to say “Fake the Nation.”
Check Your Fact reached out to an Ocasio-Cortez spokesperson and “Face the Nation” for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
