Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has come under fire after viewers accused her of putting on a 'fake' accent during her speech at the Democratic National Convention.
The New York Rep, 34, was dubbed "cringe" after fans noticed that she had seemingly slipped into a southern drawl mid-way through her fiery speech.
While AOC put on a rousing address to delegates in Chicago on Monday night, many people were distracted by the accent she ended up using.
Videos circulated on social media, in which users had clipped an impassioned portion of her speech in which she took aim at presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Watch the moment below:She told the crowd: "I, for one, am tired of hearing about how a two-bit union buster thinks of himself as more of a patriot than the woman who fights every single day to lift working people from under the boots of greed, trampling on our way of life."
And many viewers were quick to share their thoughts on her delivery, writing on Twitter (now X): "It's cringe watching her try and speak like a fire and brimstone preacher."
Others added: "Lmao AOC what kind of accent is this," and: "The look on Jesse Jackson’s face as AOC debuts her new southern Baptist preacher accent is priceless."
Despite the controversy surrounding her accent, AOC's speech was nonetheless a hit with Democrat attendees, who chanted her initials as she walked out onto the stage, and even drowned out parts of her speech with cheers and applause.
It's not the first time that AOC, who is originally from the Bronx and has Puerto Rican parents, has faced backlash for allegedly adopting a different accent.
She was also accused of putting on a Southern accent back in 2019 as she spoke in front of an audience at Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network convention, as she told the audience: "I'm proud to be a bartender. Ain't nothing wrong with that."
AOC defended herself at the time, clapping back on Twitter: "Folks talking about my voice can step right off.
"Any kid who grew up in a distinct linguistic culture & had to learn to navigate class enviros at school/work knows what’s up. My Spanish is the same way.”
She added: "As much as the right wants to distort & deflect, I am from the Bronx. I act & talk like it, *especially* when I'm fired up and especially when I'm home.
"It is so hurtful to see how every aspect of my life is weaponized against me, yet somehow asserted as false at the same time."
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