diff --git a/src/apply.py b/src/apply.py
index a2e67da..cf85d2a 100644
--- a/src/apply.py
+++ b/src/apply.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ def apply_changes(
 ) -> None:
     categories = wp.list_categories()
     category_map = _build_category_map(categories)
+    wp_timezone = wp.get_timezone()
 
     _create_missing_categories(result, wp, category_map)
     _create_missing_tags(result, wp)
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ def apply_changes(
         for post in result.posts:
             if not post.should_update:
                 continue
-            _apply_post(post, wp, category_map)
+            _apply_post(post, wp, category_map, wp_timezone)
             state.posts[post.identity] = PostState(
                 source_timestamp=post.source_timestamp,
                 materialized_at=int(time.time()),
@@ -74,7 +75,12 @@ def _create_missing_tags(result: EvaluationResult, wp: WordPressCLI) -> None:
         wp.create_tag(tag)
 
 
-def _apply_post(post: PostPlan, wp: WordPressCLI, category_map: Dict[tuple[int, str], int]) -> None:
+def _apply_post(
+    post: PostPlan,
+    wp: WordPressCLI,
+    category_map: Dict[tuple[int, str], int],
+    wp_timezone,
+) -> None:
     category_ids: List[int] = []
     for path in post.categories:
         segments = [segment for segment in path.split("/") if segment]
@@ -88,7 +94,7 @@ def _apply_post(post: PostPlan, wp: WordPressCLI, category_map: Dict[tuple[int,
             parent = category_map[map_key]
         category_ids.append(parent)
 
-    created_on, last_modified = _normalize_post_dates(post.created_on, post.last_modified)
+    created_on, last_modified = _normalize_post_dates(post.created_on, post.last_modified, wp_timezone)
 
     post_id = wp.find_post_id(post.identity)
     if post_id is None:
@@ -119,13 +125,14 @@ def _apply_post(post: PostPlan, wp: WordPressCLI, category_map: Dict[tuple[int,
 def _normalize_post_dates(
     created_on: Optional[str],
     last_modified: Optional[str],
+    wp_timezone,
 ) -> tuple[Optional[str], Optional[str]]:
     if not created_on and not last_modified:
         return created_on, last_modified
 
-    now = datetime.now()
-    created_dt = _parse_post_date(created_on)
-    modified_dt = _parse_post_date(last_modified)
+    now = datetime.now(wp_timezone)
+    created_dt = _parse_post_date(created_on, wp_timezone)
+    modified_dt = _parse_post_date(last_modified, wp_timezone)
 
     if created_dt and created_dt > now:
         created_dt = now
@@ -139,10 +146,11 @@ def _normalize_post_dates(
     return created_str, modified_str
 
 
-def _parse_post_date(value: Optional[str]) -> Optional[datetime]:
+def _parse_post_date(value: Optional[str], wp_timezone) -> Optional[datetime]:
     if not value:
         return None
     try:
-        return datetime.strptime(value, "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
+        parsed = datetime.strptime(value, "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
+        return parsed.replace(tzinfo=wp_timezone)
     except ValueError:
         return None
diff --git a/src/wp_cli.py b/src/wp_cli.py
index 4264776..65f9612 100644
--- a/src/wp_cli.py
+++ b/src/wp_cli.py
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import json
 import subprocess
 from dataclasses import dataclass
+from datetime import timedelta, timezone
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional
+from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
 
 from .errors import WordPressError
 
@@ -78,6 +80,26 @@ class WordPressCLI:
         except ValueError as exc:
             raise WordPressError(f"Invalid tag id from wp cli: {output}") from exc
 
+    def get_timezone(self):
+        tz_name = self._run(
+            ["wp", "option", "get", "timezone_string"],
+            capture_output=True,
+        ).stdout.strip()
+        if tz_name and tz_name.upper() != "UTC":
+            try:
+                return ZoneInfo(tz_name)
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+        offset_value = self._run(
+            ["wp", "option", "get", "gmt_offset"],
+            capture_output=True,
+        ).stdout.strip()
+        try:
+            offset = float(offset_value)
+        except ValueError:
+            offset = 0.0
+        return timezone(timedelta(hours=offset))
+
     def create_category(self, name: str, parent: int) -> int:
         result = self._run(
             [