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New York Times columnist David Brooks acknowledged he had “screwed up” after his social media post complaining about the price of a meal at Newark Airport went viral this week.

“An upper middle class journalist having a bourbon at an airport is a lot different than a family living paycheck to paycheck. And when I’m getting sticker shock, it’s like an inconvenience. When they’re getting sticker shock, it’s a disaster,” Brooks said in a Friday interview with PBS’ William Brangham.

Brooks’ post on X — formerly known as Twitter — which read, “This meal just cost me $78 at Newark Airport. This is why Americans think the economy is terrible,” was accompanied by a picture of the meal that included a burger, fries and an alcoholic beverage.

The post garnered over 37 million views and generated a flurry of criticism and memes, with many users mocking him for being out of touch and noting that Brooks’ drink was a likely driver of his high tab.

The restaurant responded in a Facebook post, noting that Brooks’ bar tab accounted for almost 80 percent of his bill.

“I was insensitive. I screwed up. I should not have written that tweet. I probably should not write any tweets,” Brooks said.

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