Each from time to time, the “fact-checkers” at PolitiFact publish reader feedback, and this one caught out: “Your website appears to be principally about Trump on a regular basis,” learn one remark. “How about rather less Trump, and write extra about every other falsehood topics?”
PolitiFact’s viewers chief Ellen Hine acknowledged they’ve printed over 1,000 “truth checks” on President Donald Trump — 1,124, to be exact. However then she trotted out the false declare that their focusing on is nonpartisan: “With out retaining depend, we attempt to choose information to verify from all sides of the political spectrum. On the similar time, we extra usually fact-check the get together that holds energy or individuals who repeatedly make attention-getting or deceptive statements.”
That “with out retaining depend” is an apparent excuse. Anybody who makes an attempt to depend what they’re doing will shortly understand they’re very partisan of their focusing on — and of their rankings on reality and falsehood.
Within the first 5 months of 2025, PolitiFact carried out 68 “Fact-O-Meter” truth checks on Republicans to only 23 on Democrats. Even so, this web site discovered the Republicans “Largely False,” “False” or “Pants on Fireplace” liars in 85% of these articles, whereas the Democrats landed on the false aspect solely 39%.
From Jan. 1 by Oct. 22, Trump landed on the False aspect of the “Fact-O-Meter” 50 out of 54 occasions, or 92.5% of the time. The opposite 4 have been “Half True” rankings, which means he was rated “True” or “Largely True” on zero events.
PolitiFact rated Trump as a “Pants on Fireplace” liar 13 occasions this yr, 24% of the time. Since they started in 2007, PolitiFact has written up 217 “Pants on Fireplace” claims on Trump, to only seven on former President Joe Biden over these years.
In case you take the identical time interval in 2021, Biden drew 34 checks, however they discovered him on the False aspect simply 14 occasions, or 41% of the time. Biden was “True” or “Largely True” 10 occasions.
The lean in focusing on is so clearly partisan. In 2025, when the “Pants on Fireplace” tag has been utilized to people and never social media websites, each single goal was on the appropriate. Along with the pile of assaults on Trump, the flaming checklist was Pam Bondi (twice) Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Elon Musk, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Florida Surgeon Normal Joseph Ladapo, Kevin O’Leary of the TV present “Shark Tank,” and Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
Let’s stipulate that a few of these truth checks are figuring out unfactual statements. However the aggression is overwhelming. The appropriate aspect is sort of all the time unsuitable and blatantly mendacity, whereas the left aspect supposedly stumbles into falsehood each from time to time.
Trump is tagged as “False” when he calls New York Metropolis mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani a “communist,” and Mamdani has by no means been fact-checked. Trump was “Pants on Fireplace” when he known as Kamala Harris a “communist,” however the Democrats can name him a “fascist” every day and there’s no checking.
This isn’t “impartial fact-checking.” It’s weaponized public relations.
Tim Graham is director of media evaluation on the Media Analysis Middle and government editor of the weblog NewsBusters.org.
