Washington Post columnist Taylor Lorenz is facing scrutiny after initially denying the authenticity of a controversial social media post she made about President Biden. The post, which went viral on August 15, 2024, featured a selfie of Lorenz with Biden in the background at a White House event, accompanied by the caption “war criminal” and a frowny face.

The controversy began when New York Post reporter Jon Levine shared a screenshot of Lorenz’s Instagram post, sparking widespread discussion and criticism. Initially, Lorenz responded to Levine on X (formerly Twitter), accusing him of falling for a “dumba– edit” and suggesting that the post was manipulated. “You people will fall for any dumba– edit someone makes,” she tweeted in response to Levine.

However, on August 16, Lorenz changed her stance.

She admitted that the post was indeed real but insisted that it was intended as a joke. In replies to critics on X, Lorenz clarified, “I literally never ‘denied it was real,’” and described the post as an “obvious meme.”

This admission followed intense online speculation about the post’s context and intent.

Adding to the confusion, some speculated that Lorenz’s comment might have been a reference to a similar statement made by musician Lucy Dacus, who had called former President Obama a “war criminal” in a social media post last year. Dacus’s comment also included a frowny face, which might have influenced Lorenz’s choice of words.

Fox News Digital reported that the Instagram post was shared using the platform’s “close friends” feature, indicated by a green star icon.

This feature allows users to limit the visibility of their posts to a select group of people. Consequently, Lorenz’s post was not publicly accessible and could only be seen by a limited audience that she had chosen.

Lorenz has indicated that only about seven people saw the post and described them as her “normie non-media friends,” implying that the audience was not comprised of media professionals.

NPR reported that “four people with direct knowledge” of the post confirmed its authenticity, further complicating Lorenz’s initial denial. Despite this, Lorenz claimed on X that she was unaware of who might have seen the post and criticized the attention it was receiving.

The Washington Post, where Lorenz is employed, has acknowledged awareness of the social media post and stated that it is looking into the matter. However, the newspaper has not provided additional comments or details regarding its investigation.

The post comes amid heightened criticism of Biden from the far-left, particularly in relation to his handling of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Critics have targeted Biden with derogatory labels, such as “Genocide Joe,” for his decision to continue military aid to Israel following a terrorist attack on October 7. Lorenz, known for her far-left views and criticism of Israel, is perceived by some as aligning with these sentiments.

Lorenz has a history of stirring controversy through her social media activity and reporting practices. This incident adds to her track record of contentious statements and public reactions. The evolving situation reflects broader tensions and debates surrounding political commentary and media behavior in the current climate.