United StatesOwnership & classification
Founded: 2003
Ownership
FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania, based at the Annenberg School for Communication in Philadelphia. It was co-founded in 2003 by APPC founding director Kathleen Hall Jamieson and former CNN/AP journalist Brooks Jackson. The APPC itself was established in 1993 by Walter and Leonore Annenberg.
Funding
It is funded primarily through the Annenberg Public Policy Center, which draws on an endowment created by the Annenberg Foundation, plus additional Annenberg Foundation grants and individual reader donations. It does not accept funding from corporations, unions, political parties or advocacy groups.
Affiliation & stance
FactCheck.org is a nonpartisan, university-based fact-checking nonprofit with no party or government control over its content and an explicit policy against funding from partisan or corporate interests. Because it is an academically housed, philanthropically funded nonprofit rather than a party/state-controlled body, it is correctly classified as INDEPENDENT with a centrist orientation.
Editorial lean
- Our estimate
- Center
- Measured from coverage
- Centerbased on 32
80/100
Factual
70/100
Objective
32
Articles
32
reports
Factual: How accurately its articles report the facts, judged against primary sources and the cross-outlet consensus. Only articles that cite their sources are counted.
Objective: How neutral the writing is — whether reporting keeps the writer’s own preferences and opinions out of the article.
Recent coverage
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a conservative/libertarian organization funded largely by Koch Industries, has spent over $178.6 million in 2024, with its hybrid PAC, AFP Action, raising $87.3 million. The group focuses on economic progress, healthcare, education, and other conservative issues. AFP is registered as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, allowing it to engage in political activities under certain restrictions. Its affiliated entities include the AFP Foundation (501(c)(3)) and AFP Action, which operates as a hybrid PAC capable of both direct candidate contributions and independent expenditures. Major donors include Koch Industries ($30 million) and Stand Together ($26.5 million). AFP Action recently launched a $5.6 million ad campaign supporting multiple Republican candidates across various states.
American Bridge 21st Century/AB PAC
American Bridge 21st Century, a liberal hybrid PAC, has spent over $97.4 million in the 2024 election cycle, with $34.8 million allocated for the 2026 cycle. Founded in 2010 by David Brock, a former conservative activist turned liberal crusader, the organization focuses on opposition research and running ads to support Democratic candidates. It operates as a super PAC, accepting unlimited donations from major Democratic donors and labor unions, with transparency required under federal law. The group plans to spend $50 million on paid media targeting key races across multiple states during the 2026 midterms, aiming to expand Democratic influence in traditionally Republican areas. Key figures include Bradley Beychok, Pat Dennis, and major donors such as Deborah Simon and the AB Foundation. The PAC has already spent over $1 million on independent expenditures opposing specific Republican candidates in the 2026 primaries.
Trump’s Misleading Crime Drop Claims
President Donald Trump inaccurately attributed the 2025 national crime decline to his administration's policies while misrepresenting the data. During a speech to law enforcement officers on August 14, 2026, Trump claimed the drop in violent and property crimes was due to federal actions, despite criminologists noting multiple possible causes. He falsely asserted that crime increased under President Biden, contradicting data showing declining violence during Biden's later terms. Trump exaggerated the impact of deploying National Guard units in Washington, D.C., Memphis, and New Orleans, which experts say were not the main drivers of crime reduction. Additionally, he incorrectly linked a decrease in officer fatalities to his executive orders, while the tracking organization noted alternative explanations. Trump had previously criticized FBI crime reports as 'fake' and 'fraudulent,' highlighting his inconsistent stance on the agency's credibility.
Bill Cassidy Calls Trump's Vaccine Plan 'Stupid Policy'
Republican Senator Bill Cassidy criticized President Donald Trump's executive order to split the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into separate shots, calling it a 'stupid policy.' Cassidy, a physician and Louisiana Republican, argued that the directive would increase financial burdens, require more doctor visits, and expose children to more injections without scientific justification. He emphasized that splitting the MMR vaccine into individual shots would result in six shots instead of two and six visits instead of two. Cassidy also refuted claims by Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that vaccines are linked to autism, citing statements from NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya who confirmed there is no evidence supporting such a connection. The controversy highlights tensions within the GOP over federal health policies.
Fauci’s COVID Phone Turned Over To Senate Panel Ahead Of Contempt Vote
A Senate panel investigating Dr. Anthony Fauci has reportedly obtained access to the cellphone records he used during the COVID-19 pandemic, ahead of a planned vote to hold him in contempt of Congress. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Health and Human Services, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., provided these records to the Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Rand Paul (R-KY) have also accessed millions of additional documents related to Fauci from government servers. Senator Rand Paul stated that if the committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt, they intend to forward the matter directly to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution. Paul emphasized that this would be the first time the committee as a whole has referred such a case to the DOJ. Legal experts note that if Fauci cannot claim protection under the Fifth Amendment due to a presidential pardon, he could face statutory penalties for contempt of Congress, including fines and imprisonment.
Trump Orders Major Overhaul Of Childhood Vaccine Recommendations
President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating a significant revision to childhood vaccine recommendations in the U.S., aiming to reduce the number of vaccines routinely recommended for all children and promote more spaced-out immunization schedules. The new guidelines, titled 'Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations,' would lower the number of required vaccines from 18 to 11 for all children, while shifting others, such as those for hepatitis A and B, to specific high-risk groups or decisions made jointly by parents and physicians. The order also seeks to make single measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines available in the U.S. and calls for further research into vaccine safety and alternative formulations. Trump argued that these changes would give parents more control over their children's vaccination schedules and potentially reduce autism rates, despite scientific consensus refuting any link between the MMR vaccine and autism. The implementation of this order faces uncertainty due to state-level authority over school vaccine requirements and the unavailability of single MMR vaccines.
Alaska Senate Candidates Attempt to Link Each Other to Epstein
In Alaska's closely contested Senate race between Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Dan Sullivan, both campaigns have attempted to link each other to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein through allegations of financial ties. Peltola's campaign accused Sullivan of supporting efforts to keep Epstein-related files secret, citing his vote to table an amendment seeking their release. They also pointed to donations from individuals associated with Epstein. Conversely, Sullivan's campaign highlighted Peltola's acceptance of donations from individuals linked to Epstein, though none have been charged with crimes. Both campaigns have used these accusations as part of broader strategies to undermine their opponents. The race, which uses ranked-choice voting, is considered a toss-up by political analysts.
Progressive William Lawrence wins Democratic primary in one of the country’s biggest House races
Democrat William Lawrence, a co-founder of the progressive Sunrise Movement, has won his party's primary in Michigan's 7th Congressional District, according to NBC News projections. This victory marks a significant win for the progressive left in a highly contested battleground seat, setting up a challenging general election matchup against Republican Rep. Tom Barrett. Lawrence distinguished himself by positioning as a more liberal candidate and criticizing data centers, while defeating two prominent Democratic rivals with national security backgrounds. The race saw increasing bitterness between his opponents, former Ambassador Bridget Brink and retired Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam, who reportedly split the more moderate wing of the party. Lawrence received strong support from progressive groups and a mysterious super PAC that spent over $1 million in the final weeks of the campaign, raising concerns that Republicans might be indirectly supporting him to make him an easier opponent in November. Other key House races in Michigan and Virginia are also shaping up, with various matchups involving Trump-backed candidates and established Democrats.
Wright’s Hairsplitting Statements About Canceled Energy Grants in Blue States
Energy Secretary Chris Wright has consistently denied that political factors influenced the decision to cancel over 280 energy grants in October 2023. However, a court filing revealed that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) acknowledged that the grants canceled were specifically those located in states that supported Democratic candidates, including President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. The filing stated that the cancellations were based solely on the political alignment of the states where the grants were located, rather than on project merit, cost, or performance. Wright claimed during a CNN interview and congressional testimony that the initial evaluation of the grants was not politically motivated, though he attributed the timing of the cancellations to administrative decisions outside his control. Despite these claims, the court documents indicate that the selection of grants for termination was explicitly tied to the political affiliation of the states.
Trump Uses Deceptive Chart in False Inflation Boast
President Donald Trump made a false claim during an interview, stating he has the lowest inflation rate among the last 10 U.S. presidents, based on a misleading chart he shared on social media. The chart compared the first 18 months of Trump's second term with the full four-year terms of his predecessors, creating a deceptive impression that Trump's inflation is lower. However, a more accurate comparison, looking at inflation 18 months into each president's term, shows Trump's inflation rate is actually the fourth highest. The chart, created by an Instagram user named @yunggeeski_, uses manipulated data to support Trump's claim. Federal data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that inflation during Trump's second term is higher than it was at the same point in most of his recent predecessors' terms.
Players Guide 2026
FactCheck.org has launched its 2026 Players Guide, profiling eight major outside spending groups influencing the upcoming midterm elections. These groups include the Senate Majority PAC supporting Democratic Senate gains and the Congressional Leadership Fund backing Republican House control. The guide highlights spending patterns, leadership, and political leanings of these organizations. According to OpenSecrets, outside groups spent $2 billion during the 2024 presidential cycle, doubling the expenditure of the previous midterm cycle. The report notes that some groups are longstanding contributors while others are new, emphasizing the growing role of outside spending in political campaigns.
Collins Did Not ‘Support’ OBBBA’s Medicaid Cuts, as Democratic Ad Claims
Senator Susan Collins, a Republican, opposed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) in July 2025 due to its proposed Medicaid cuts, despite having previously supported a procedural vote to move the bill forward. A Democratic-sponsored ad falsely claimed Collins 'supported' the bill, which includes significant reductions in Medicaid funding. The ad, produced by Affordable Maine, uses a quote from a May 2025 blog post claiming the OBBBA represents the 'largest Medicaid cut in U.S. history.' However, Collins explicitly voted against the final version of the bill, citing concerns over its impact on Medicaid recipients. The Congressional Budget Office estimated the bill would reduce federal Medicaid spending by over $900 billion over ten years and increase the number of uninsured Americans by 7.5 million.
Explaining the Medicare Drug-Plan Subsidy That Trump Is Ending
President Donald Trump's administration has announced the end of a temporary subsidy that had been reducing premiums for Medicare Part D standalone prescription drug plans. This subsidy, introduced under the Biden administration, was intended to offset anticipated premium increases resulting from significant changes to the Part D benefit outlined in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. These changes aimed to lower prescription drug costs for seniors by introducing caps on out-of-pocket expenses. However, analysts suggest that ending the subsidy might lead to increased premiums for some Medicare beneficiaries, particularly those enrolled in standalone Part D plans. The impact of this decision remains uncertain until further details on 2027 premiums are released later this year.