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Donald Trump Jr. called Taylor Lorenz, the Washington Post columnist who revealed the identity of the user behind the Libs of TikTok account, a "psycho" on Tuesday following the publication of her debate-inciting expose.

In a tweet, he mentioned a recent video showing a tearful Lorenz talking about the "isolating" and "horrifying" effects of online harassment.

"Wasn't this psycho on tv 2 weeks ago actually crying about the exact type of behavior that seems to be her exact business model. If only she tried to report on real bad actors rather than a random personalities on social... but we know that won't happen," Trump tweeted.

Trump is one of many conservatives who have expressed outrage over Lorenz's piece published by the Washington Post, with many accusing her of being guilty of harassment herself in her efforts to identify the previously anonymous user. Some also accused Lorenz of "doxxing" the user, or the act of publicly revealing private personal information about an individual or organization, according to Merriam-Webster's definition.

Lorenz identified the user behind Libs of TikTok as Chaya Raichik. The Twitter profile was opened in November of 2020 and has accrued more than 682,000 followers.

Lorenz reported that Raichik was working as a real estate agent in Brooklyn when she created the account. In the years since, the account has gained traction and popularity among right-wing figures, regularly taking aim at liberals, civil rights protesters and teachers it alleges teaches sexually sensitive content to children or promotes LGBTQ+ rights.

The Libs of TikTok account on Twitter retweeted Trump's post. Earlier Tuesday, the user tagged Lorenz in another Twitter post that read: "Hi @TaylorLorenz! Which of my relatives did you enjoy harassing the most at their homes yesterday?"

In a picture included with the post, Lorenz appeared to be shown standing outside a home.

Lorenz was accused on social media of appearing at the house of the Libs of TikTok user's relatives, though it has not been independently verified by her or the Washington Post. But the accusations have further fueled the criticism.

Right-wing political commentator Ben Shapiro tweeted that Lorenz is "a terrible journalist and worse human."

"Targeting a Twitter account that literally just posts Leftists owning themselves because that account damages the Left is pure Lorenz," he added.

New York Post writer Emma-Jo Morris criticized Lorenz for what she described as using her influence as a writer at the Post to "dox private people."

"Taylor Lorenz is a 43-year-old woman who has a byline at one of the most powerful outlets in mediawhich she uses to dox private people on twitterand then cries on MSNBC about her self-proclaimed victim status," she wrote, referencing the same video Trump mentioned.

Lorenz defended her expose in a Twitter thread Tuesday.

"Yes, an acct whose goal is driving LGBTQ ppl out of public life is bad. Gay/trans ppl targeted by the acct have had their lives destroyed, but the *point* of the story is actually a nuanced look at radicalization & how the right wing outrage cycle functions. That's worth covering," she wrote.

"This is ultimately a story about how online influence warps our political discourse and shapes policy, as well as the right wing media's symbiotic relationship w/ a massive political influencer," she added in another tweet.

Newsweek reached out to Lorenz via the Washington Post, a representative for Donald Trump Jr. and the Trump Organization for comment.

Link:
Donald Trump Jr. Calls Taylor Lorenz 'Psycho' Over Libs of TikTok Article - Newsweek