Senator Calls Out Ocasio-Cortez’s Bronx Roots
New York State Senators have taken to social media to challenge Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over her claim of being a tough “Bronx girl.” This comment came during a recent exchange with President Donald Trump online.
Senator Matt Slater, a Republican, highlighted the progressive representatives from the Bronx and Queens, sharing a photo of Ocasio-Cortez from her freshman year at Yorktown High School, located about an hour north of the Bronx.
“If you’re a BX girl, why are you in my Yorktown yearbook? I’m already giving up on that,” Slater tweeted.
In the midst of back-and-forth comments, Ocasio-Cortez had criticized Trump for ordering a military strike over an Iranian nuclear site, which also sparked fierce online discussions.
Trump aimed his criticism squarely at Ocasio-Cortez, labeling her as “silly” and one of the “silliest” members of Congress. He pointed to her academic performance, suggesting she was unfit for office due to low test scores and described a negative view of her Bronx upbringing amid issues like crime and poverty.
Ocasio-Cortez, a graduate of Yorktown High School from 2007, responded with a series of posts on social media addressing Trump directly.
“Also, I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that you can eat Queens boys for breakfast, respectfully,” she quipped.
Slater, who also attended the same high school, used her yearbook photo to question her Bronx identity, which she often promotes. His remarks seem to have stirred some controversy, considering Ocasio-Cortez’s narrative about her roots.
Ocasio-Cortez spent her early years in the Parkchester area of the Bronx before moving to Yorktown Heights, a suburb in Westchester County. She has often spoken about her upbringing, stating, “My mother scrubbed the toilet so I could live here and grew up seeing how the zip code influenced my life.”
As the discussions unfold, both Ocasio-Cortez and Slater’s offices are in contact, and it’s clear that the debate over identity and political roots is far from over.
