Social media, and especially Twitter, is particularly powerful in taking quotes out of context and giving them an eternal shelf-life. Joe Biden’s initial video announcing his run for president contained the Charlottesville hoax — that President Trump had called the white supremacists in Charlottesville “very fine people” — and he just did the same thing in a video released this week.

As anybody who watched the video of Trump’s rally in context knows, he was saying that Democrats and the media blaming him for botching the coronavirus response would be the next hoax intended to take him down, following the Russian collusion hoax and the idea that he bribed and extorted the president of Ukraine by withholding aid.

Amber Phillips, a reporter who writes for the Washington Post’s The Fix, is among those still claiming that Trump called COVID-19 a hoax.

By late January, most intelligence reports for Trump were about covid-19. “The system was blinking red.” Trump called it a “hoax” in late February. https://t.co/nw6CTBy8Bg — Amber Phillips (@byamberphillips) March 21, 2020

The Washington Post’s fact-checker had already granted Biden four Pinocchios for manipulating video to perpetuate the “hoax” myth:

Your own paper fact-checked the myth that Trump called the virus a "hoax" and rated that 4 Pinocchios. Maybe you should read your employer's work more often instead of smearing the President with baseless claims. https://t.co/G2e455qpox — Shane Rider ?? (@shaneriderMA) March 21, 2020

He did not call the virus a hoax. He called what the media do a hoax. And I agree with him. Obviously he is taking the virus seriously. You people need to give up. — Rene (@Trene6578) March 21, 2020

This is false. — Beth ⭐⭐⭐ (@Amazinggrace2me) March 21, 2020

He didn't call it a hoax. Why do you "journalists" have to lie constantly? — kgbman (@kgbman) March 21, 2020

He called the Dems talking points about his actions a hoax. Not the virus. You are still spreading that debunked bit. — Dr. Bob (@ByronEBooth) March 21, 2020

He called what you are your colleagues are doing a hoax and well, see your tweet here — Snad (@Levidog) March 21, 2020

For the gabazillionth time, he did not call the virus itself a hoax. He called the media hyping this as a real-life Walking Dead a hoax. — Jules of Denial (@Coolish_Breeze) March 21, 2020

Amber is more concerned with clicks than lives. — Wolverfan (@Wolverfan) March 21, 2020

You’re spreading lies and misinformation. Par for the Washington Post’s course. — Ben Jammin ?? (@xBenJamminx) March 21, 2020

Did you get your journalism degree from Podunk Tec? Sourced, Factual journalism would be appreciated! — j (@lafayetteoxford) March 21, 2020

You should really just resign and go work for some junk tabloid. Oh wait — Paul (@Paul26055619) March 21, 2020

This @washingtonpost reporter is spreading a lie debunked by several fact checkers, including her own paper. He did not call the virus a hoax. Why does @postbaron allow this ? — Progressive GOP (@NixonandIke) March 21, 2020

I can assure you there is now a general consensus amongst people with even doctorate degrees. WaPo is not serious outlet and its a clickbait organization. — NG (@Neilgrover5) March 21, 2020

Thanks for making the President's point that you are Fake News… — Archer P. Stevens-Shadowbanned combat veteran (@archerenemy) March 21, 2020

Your own newspaper says you're spreading false information. — Tim Joiner (@joinertek) March 21, 2020

Why the hell are you still spreading this lie? This is a global crisis and you're spreading false and dangerous information to try to score political points. Grow up. — Ben (@realBenLentine) March 21, 2020

This has been debunked…even by your own publication. It seems Amber, that you've actually developed a fondness for losing. — The Ambivalent Warrior (@marshalltate) March 21, 2020

You're a liar and the enemy of the people. — Jarret Heaston (@weallstartwithj) March 21, 2020

Yeah, that’s why he shut down borders. Excellent reporting — Soakie ?? (@soakie) March 21, 2020

That’s when Trump banned travel from China. And was accused of overreacting. — The Mikealorian (@Mike___Kilo) March 21, 2020

Hence why he closed flights from China also in late January. What a remarkable coincidence. — Paul Hurst (@pnhurst) March 21, 2020

But at the time your same intelligence “sources” were screeching about Ukraine and Bernie Sanders being a Russian pawn. Weird. — Into the Pit (@into_pit) March 21, 2020

The media certainly seemed too busy in January covering the impeachment trial to pay any attention to the coronavirus, even while the CDC was springing into action and the president assembling a coronavirus task force.

Seriously Amber, I don’t know who you are, but this tweet is not aging well. You need to apologize and remove this. Your “Duty” as a “journalist” is to provide actual facts. Nothing in this is factual. It’s your misinterpretation of reality. Please remove this. — RyneThomas (@thomas_ryne) March 21, 2020

She won’t and insist to herself that she’s right.

* * *

Holy hell … she did admit she was wrong and deleted the tweet.

My apologies for quoting the president out of context. As The Washington Post’s Fact Checker makes clear, he called Democrats politicizing coronavirus a hoax. I have deleted the incorrect tweet. https://t.co/R38kPEdBG3 — Amber Phillips (@byamberphillips) March 21, 2020

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