Taylor Lorenz, a journalist with a history of controversial incidents, has left her position at the Washington Post following a dispute over an Instagram post.

Six weeks ago, Lorenz posted a selfie taken at a White House event, captioned with the statement labeling President Joe Biden a "war criminal, with the post causing a stir and eventually leading to her separation from the newspaper, as Breitbart reports.

The departure stems from accusations that Lorenz falsely claimed her caption had been edited by someone else.

Instagram Post Sparks Controversy

The incident began in mid-August when Lorenz attended an event at the White House. She posted a selfie on Instagram with a caption that called Biden a "war criminal." The post drew immediate backlash, with many questioning her motives and the accuracy of the statement.

Shortly after, Lorenz implied on social media that the caption was not her doing. She posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, suggesting that her followers had been fooled by an edited version of the image. "You people will fall for any dumbass edit someone makes," she wrote, attempting to deflect responsibility.

Verification Confirms Lorenz's Role in Caption

Despite her claims, the media outlet NPR stepped in to verify the authenticity of the post. Their investigation concluded that Lorenz had indeed been responsible for writing the "war criminal" caption, contradicting her earlier statements. This led to further scrutiny of her actions and put pressure on her relationship with the Washington Post.

Lorenz tried to defend her position, tweeting again that she had never outright denied the caption was real. "I literally never 'denied it was real,'" she posted, attempting to clarify that she was mocking how seriously people were taking what she described as an "obvious meme reference."

Washington Post Launches Investigation

Following the controversy, the Washington Post opened an investigation into the matter. While neither Lorenz nor the newspaper initially commented on the investigation's specifics, the scrutiny surrounding the incident continued to grow. The situation added to a list of criticisms Lorenz had faced in the past regarding her work in digital media and how she engages with online platforms.

Lorenz, known for her outspoken and sometimes polarizing views on social media, has had a rocky relationship with the Post, as well as with other legacy media outlets. Her latest controversy only heightened tensions, making her future at the newspaper increasingly uncertain.

Lorenz's Exit and Plans for the Future

Six weeks after the Instagram incident, Lorenz and the Washington Post officially parted ways. The exact details of her exit remain unclear, but Lorenz has since announced that she will be starting her own Substack platform. In a statement introducing her new venture, Lorenz expressed frustration with traditional media institutions. "I just wanted to get out of legacy media," she explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

She went on to say that she felt constrained by the limitations of older media outlets. "I feel like it’s just really, really difficult to do the kind of reporting that I want to do on the internet within these kind of older institutions as a primary job." Lorenz emphasized that she enjoys engaging directly with her audience, something she finds challenging to achieve while working at larger, more established media organizations.

New Beginnings on Substack

Lorenz has already begun promoting her Substack endeavors, where she says she will cover a variety of topics, ranging from online trends to policy developments in the digital sphere. In her introductory post, she took a lighthearted yet sharp tone, writing that she plans to dox people and cover "pretty much everything" while working from her apartment, supported by her family.

Despite the humor, Lorenz’s shift to Substack reflects a broader trend of journalists leaving legacy media outlets in favor of independent platforms where they can control their content and cultivate a more personal relationship with their readers.

Public Reaction Remains Divided

Public reaction to Lorenz's departure from the Washington Post has been mixed. Some applaud her move to leave behind what they view as restrictive institutions, while others criticize her for what they see as a lack of journalistic integrity. Her behavior on social media, particularly how she handled the Biden "war criminal" controversy, continues to draw debate among both supporters and detractors.

Her future as an independent journalist on Substack may offer her the creative freedom she craves, but it also leaves her without the backing of a major news organization. This independence could provide Lorenz with the opportunity to redefine her public image, but it also opens her up to increased scrutiny over how she handles her reporting moving forward.

Conclusion

Taylor Lorenz’s departure from the Washington Post followed a six-week fallout after she posted an Instagram selfie labeling President Biden a “war criminal” and later attempted to claim the caption was edited.

After NPR confirmed the post’s authenticity, the Post investigated the matter, leading to Lorenz’s exit. She is now launching her own Substack page, where she plans to cover a range of topics.

Lorenz has expressed her desire to leave legacy media behind, stating that it is difficult to do the kind of reporting she wants within such institutions.

As she begins her new venture, public reaction remains divided, with some praising her independence and others questioning her past actions.