Fake print editions of the Washington Post are circulating in Washington, D.C., with the headline “UNPRESIDENTED” screaming across the page, surrounded by fake articles about President Donald Trump stepping down from the presidency.
According to the Washington Post’s Twitter account, there is also a website mimicking the outlet’s.
There are fake print editions of The Washington Post being distributed around downtown DC, and we are aware of a website attempting to mimic The Post’s. They are not Post products, and we are looking into this.
— Washington Post PR (@WashPostPR) January 16, 2019
Some of the visible headlines read: “Trump hastily departs White House, ending crisis,” “Celebrations break out worldwide as Trump era ends,” “From #MeToo to ‘you’re fired’” and “Pres. Pence begins ‘clipped duck’ term.”
Just plucked this piece of fakery from a trash bin at Union Station pic.twitter.com/oE8HyOiFS3
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) January 16, 2019
A Huffington Post reporter got a shot of an inside section.
A6 gets meta. pic.twitter.com/1ig3y2mkLS
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) January 16, 2019
A trickster activist duo called “The Yes Men” seems to be taking responsibility for the stunt. Onnesha Roychoudhuri, part of the duo and alleged paper creator, said that the paper “offers a blueprint to help us reclaim our democracy.”
An email to the account listed on The Yes Men’s post about the papers bounced, but a call was answered by a pre-recorded message: “Thank you for calling the Washington Post. Your call is important to us.” The phone rang a few times and went to a voicemail box.
An initial report attributed the phony papers to progressive group MoveOn, but they denied responsibility (though applauded the headline).
While we love the headline, we didn’t produce today’s satirical Washington Post.
— MoveOn (@MoveOn) January 16, 2019
CODEPINK, a women-led grassroots organization, also posted a video of members passing out the papers. The organization did not immediately confirm or deny authorship of the satirical edition.
Would love to get my hands on a copy as a souvenir!
From the publishers of Mad Magazine!
How do I get a subscription? I have a few gift subscriptions in mind, like 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Hey, it’s a great start, now we can all see what it will look like. Please let it be soon.
Oh, man, this is hilarious.
Poor Spankee will be so confused: is it the real Fake News WaPo, or is it the fake Fake News WaPo.
His little reptilian brain will either explode with trying to process the circular argument or he’ll freeze into immobility, not knowing which way to move.
PS: if anyone figures out how to get a hold of this, I want one too!