Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is warning news organizations to tread carefully ahead of President Donald Trump's planned Thursday primetime address on election integrity, arguing they have an ethical duty not to amplify unsubstantiated claims.
In a clip posted Tuesday to the social platform X, Ocasio-Cortez told journalist Pablo Manríquez, “I don’t think that we should be contributing to any platforming of lies about our election.” She added that many outlets often receive advance transcripts and must decide whether to air content that “undermine[s] our election that are not rooted in evidence and fact.”
“Of course, it depends on the contents of this speech, but that’s my take on it,” she said.
Trump has been teasing the address for days, calling it “big news” and “really, really big news.” Speaking to reporters Tuesday, he said the speech will cover voting machines, election integrity, and “a couple of other things.” He framed the event as existential: “Without free and fair elections, you don’t have a country.”
Reports Monday indicated the president will focus on recently declassified intelligence about investigations into U.S. elections, as well as what his administration describes as vulnerabilities in voting machines. Trump has repeatedly pushed baseless claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden.
The congresswoman’s warning echoes earlier criticisms she has leveled at Republican figures who deny the 2020 results. She has previously blasted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for his extended absence, calling it abnormal. And she has been a vocal opponent of efforts to undermine confidence in democratic processes.
Her call for media restraint comes as Democrats continue to press Trump’s intelligence picks on election denial. During recent hearings, lawmakers grilled nominee Jay Clayton over his past statements and the ongoing FISA stalemate.
Trump’s Thursday speech is expected to draw intense scrutiny, with critics arguing it could further erode public trust in elections. The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment on the address.
As the former president continues to center his political brand around election grievances, Ocasio-Cortez’s intervention highlights a growing debate over how the media should cover unsubstantiated claims from high-profile figures.
