detect greater date in php - php

Question

I am trying to detect date if it's greater or not to change post status, in result i am not getting proper way past dates are being greater or sometime future dates its too confusing why dates are not being compared
2020-02-05 (today date)
2020-01-20 (event date)
still it getting detect as greater date for event,
<?php
$loop = new WP_Query( array(
'post_type' => 'events',
'posts_per_page'=> -1,
)
);
?>
<?php while ( $loop->have_posts() ) : $loop->the_post();
$today = date("Y-m-d");
$date2 = get_field('event_date');
$event_date = $date2;
$expire_dt = $today;
echo '<br>';
echo $expire_dt;
echo '<br>';
echo $event_date;
echo '<br>';
if ($expire_dt < $event_date) {
?>
<?php
}else{
echo $today;
echo $event_date;
$my_post = array();
$my_post['ID'] = get_the_ID();
$my_post['post_status'] = 'draft';
// Update the post into the database
wp_update_post( $my_post );
?>
<?php
}
endwhile; wp_reset_query(); ?>

Answer 1

Wrap the 'event_date' as a DateTime -> new \DateTime(get_field('event_date'))
Try this:
$loop = new WP_Query([
'post_type' => 'events',
'posts_per_page' => -1,
]
);
while ($loop->have_posts()) {
$loop->the_post();
$today = new \DateTime();
$event_date = new \DateTime(get_field('event_date'));
// If `get_field()` doesn't work: try `the_field()`...
// $event_date = new \DateTime(the_field('event_date'));
if ($today >= $event_date) {
$my_post = [];
$my_post['ID'] = get_the_ID();
$my_post['post_status'] = 'draft';
wp_update_post($my_post);
}
}
wp_reset_query();