U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declined to comment on her personal life after reports emerged of her split with long-term partner Riley Roberts. Ocasio-Cortez was seen leaving her home in Queens, New York, on Wednesday, one day after news of the breakup was reported.
When asked about the split by reporters, the 36-year-old congresswoman stated, "I don't comment on my private life – thank you," as she walked her French Bulldog, Deco.
Roberts and Ocasio-Cortez met as undergraduates at Boston University. He was present when she was elected to Congress in 2018, becoming the youngest person to hold the seat at that time. The couple was last publicly pictured together in May.
According to Leigh Ann Caldwell, Chief Washington correspondent for Puck News, the engagement was called off approximately 18 months ago. Insiders have suggested Ocasio-Cortez stopped wearing her engagement ring in the months preceding the decision not to marry.
This development follows Ocasio-Cortez's recent announcement that she is in the process of freezing her eggs to gain a greater sense of control over her life, a journey she plans to document. When questioned about whether her fiancé was supportive of her fertility journey, she responded vaguely, "All of my loved ones have been very supportive."
Roberts has been absent from recent videos where Ocasio-Cortez discusses her fertility process and is not mentioned in her updates. A review of her social media indicates the last picture posted with Roberts was in December 2021. The pair attended the 2021 Met Gala, where Ocasio-Cortez announced their engagement the following year.
Roberts was previously photographed walking their dog, Deco, near their Queens apartment in the summer of 2022. During that outing, he was seen speaking with a security guard, reportedly assessing the apartment building for vulnerabilities following a vandalism attack on her campaign headquarters.
In July 2022, the House Ethics Committee issued a report concerning Ocasio-Cortez for listing Roberts as her "spouse" on federal documents for the 2021 Met Gala, where she wore a "Tax the Rich" dress. However, he was not listed as a spouse in her financial filings. The committee noted that while Ocasio-Cortez sought exceptions to gift rules applicable to spouses, she did not disclose Roberts's financial interests as required for legally married members. Despite not being subject to spousal financial disclosures, the committee observed that Roberts benefited from perks typically afforded to congressional spouses, such as an official congressional pin granting access to restricted areas of the Capitol complex.
Amidst these personal developments, speculation about Ocasio-Cortez's future political ambitions has surfaced. When asked recently about potentially running for higher office, including a presidential campaign or challenging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in 2028, she stated that while she is currently focused on her congressional duties and the midterms, she has not ruled out such possibilities. She has previously described her ambition as being focused on changing the country rather than on specific titles or seats, citing policies like single-payer healthcare, a living wage, workers' rights, and women's rights as enduring goals.