Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has responded to Jake Paul's criticism of Bad Bunny, calling out the social media influencer-turned-boxer for his hypocrisy over Puerto Rican citizenship and tax exemptions.
Paul had taken to X to claim that Bad Bunny was a "fake American citizen" due to his residency in Puerto Rico, which is part of the United States. However, Ocasio-Cortez fired back with a pointed commentary, questioning how Paul could accuse someone of being a "fake citizen" when he himself has been accused of avoiding taxes while living on the island.
The congresswoman noted that Bad Bunny has used his platform to highlight issues related to Puerto Rico's tax breaks and the displacement caused by wealthy expats. In contrast, Paul had moved to the island in 2021 as part of a wave of wealthy foreigners taking advantage of its incentives.
Ocasio-Cortez also seemed to imply that Paul was motivated by jealousy, suggesting that Bad Bunny's performance at the Super Bowl made him look "small." Her comments were met with widespread approval from fans and critics alike, who saw her response as a masterclass in using social media to hold politicians accountable for their actions.
Paul later attempted to backtrack on his initial statement, changing his X bio to declare himself a "Benito #1 fan" and claiming that he was not criticizing Puerto Rican citizenship status, but rather those who use their First Amendment rights to criticize America. However, his attempts at damage control only seemed to underscore Ocasio-Cortez's original point about hypocrisy.
The exchange serves as a reminder of the power of social media in amplifying public discourse and holding politicians accountable for their words and actions.
Paul had taken to X to claim that Bad Bunny was a "fake American citizen" due to his residency in Puerto Rico, which is part of the United States. However, Ocasio-Cortez fired back with a pointed commentary, questioning how Paul could accuse someone of being a "fake citizen" when he himself has been accused of avoiding taxes while living on the island.
The congresswoman noted that Bad Bunny has used his platform to highlight issues related to Puerto Rico's tax breaks and the displacement caused by wealthy expats. In contrast, Paul had moved to the island in 2021 as part of a wave of wealthy foreigners taking advantage of its incentives.
Ocasio-Cortez also seemed to imply that Paul was motivated by jealousy, suggesting that Bad Bunny's performance at the Super Bowl made him look "small." Her comments were met with widespread approval from fans and critics alike, who saw her response as a masterclass in using social media to hold politicians accountable for their actions.
Paul later attempted to backtrack on his initial statement, changing his X bio to declare himself a "Benito #1 fan" and claiming that he was not criticizing Puerto Rican citizenship status, but rather those who use their First Amendment rights to criticize America. However, his attempts at damage control only seemed to underscore Ocasio-Cortez's original point about hypocrisy.
The exchange serves as a reminder of the power of social media in amplifying public discourse and holding politicians accountable for their words and actions.
I think it's wild how people like Jake Paul can be so quick to call out others for not being "American" enough, when they're basically doing the same thing as those they're accusing. Like, if Bad Bunny is a "fake American citizen" just because he lives in Puerto Rico, then shouldn't Paul, who moved there last year, get the same scrutiny? 
It's all about hypocrisy, imo.
and it's amazing to see her using her platform to hold people like Paul accountable for their words. Social media is all about calling out BS, and AOC is the queen of doing just that 
.
Can't believe Paul thought he could diss Bad Bunny without getting roasted by AOC 
. Like, dude moved to PR with his Instagram money 
, it's not exactly a subtle move 
. And now he's all about freedom of speech when really he's just trying to save face after getting called out on his tax avoidance 
. Ocasio-Cortez totally called him out and I'm loving every minute of this 
. It's like, if you're gonna take shots at someone, make sure you can handle the return fire 
.
, this whole situation with Jake Paul and Bad Bunny is giving me LIFE! 
I mean, Ocasio-Cortez came for him hard and she SLAYED it 
. But seriously, Paul's hypocrisy on display was a total masterclass in trying to backtrack 
. Like, dude tried to claim he wasn't criticizing Puerto Rican citizenship status but his whole bio change was all about damage control 
. This exchange is a reminder of how powerful social media can be in keeping politicians accountable for their actions 
.
! like, if ur gonna diss someone's citizenship status, at least be honest about ur own tax issues 
. btw ocasio cortez is literally a queen for calling out hypocrites like this 
.
. That's what we need more of - accountability from our leaders, not hypocrisy and backpedaling.
. Ocasio-Cortez nailed it with her response, and Paul's damage control attempt only made him look worse