The Washington Post published a claim that Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade delayed Team USA at the Winter Olympics, but the paper’s own reporting undercut that story while the outlet faces major staff cuts and growing skepticism.
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games have turned into a controversy zone for critics of the administration, with the Washington Post throwing a punch at Vice President JD Vance over an alleged motorcade delay. The Post’s initial social post blamed Vance’s convoy for slowing down American figure skater Alysa Liu en route to her event. That push immediately drew attention because it cast the vice president as the cause of an avoidable setback during a high-profile competition.
“American star Alysa Liu overcame a delay en route to the Milano Skating Arena caused by Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade and finished second in the women’s short program at the Olympics team event,” the Post claimed on social media. “‘We almost didn’t make it,’ her coach said.”
The newspaper even ran the dramatic headline: “Nothing could stop the U.S. figure skating team. Not even JD Vance’s motorcade.” That sort of cover line feeds a narrative that assigns blame before all the facts are in, and critics from across the political spectrum pointed out the rush to judgment. For conservative readers this incident felt like more of the same: an outlet eager to bait the right and score political points.
Notably, the Post has itself been in a state of upheaval, having “laid off one-third of their staff” recently as the paper adapts to a shifting media market. Those cuts were widely reported and they add context to coverage choices: fewer reporters and tighter resources can create pressure to publish quick, attention-grabbing posts rather than patient, verified reporting. Observers who distrust legacy media say that environment encourages sloppy narratives that get retweeted and repeated before corrections are made.
Yet the Post’s own article later admitted the delay was not caused by the motorcade but by the athlete’s struggles to prepare. The paper acknowledged she was delayed by her failure to “gather all of her gear in time” because she lives “in a perpetual state of controlled chaos.” That admission undercuts the social post and the headline, showing how a viral claim can collapse when the full account appears.
There’s an obvious double standard at play: when a conservative official is involved, media attention magnifies every minor bump into a scandal. Meanwhile, the facts here were simple and mundane — logistical hiccups and athlete nerves — not an intentional shutdown of a route. For people who value fair play in reporting, the episode looks less like objective journalism and more like a political hit clipped to trend on social platforms.
Beyond this one story, the Games have become a stage for activists and commentators to air grievances, and some athletes have used interviews and gestures to criticize the administration. In that context, outlets with clear political leanings will naturally amplify moments that fit their worldview. Conservative observers argue the Washington Post’s approach illustrates a persistent bias: spin a narrative first, then try to reconcile with the facts later.
Republicans see this as part of a broader pattern where elite media attempt to define public perception around conservative figures through selective framing. The motorcade story is a small example but it follows a familiar script: initial outrage, a viral claim, and then a correction or clarification that receives far less attention. That imbalance matters because first impressions stick, and headlines travel faster than retractions.
Editor’s Note: The mainstream media continues to deflect, gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.
