Our ballooning national debt tops Mike Johnson’s list of offenses.
The Dispatch→ Independents’ Day
Unaffiliated voters hold enormous power in midterm elections. Right now, they are unhappy with both Trump and Democrats.
The Dispatch→ Is There a Future for Pragmatism in the Democratic Party?
Moderate liberals can win, but they lack the energy and confidence of the left wing.
The Dispatch→ America’s First Globalist
Alfred Thayer Mahan and the rise of an outward-looking United States.
The Dispatch→ Down, and Then Out
The final days of Joe Biden’s campaign.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Unrelated Video Of Truck Driver Cooking Curry NOT Dash Cam Of ‘Illegal Immigrant’ Before Fatal California I-10 Crash
Is this real dash cam video showing a truck driver cooking curry at 90 mph just before crashing into other vehicles and killing three people on California's I-10? No, that's not true: The California Highway Patrol, which investigated the
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Photo Does NOT Show White House Demolition To Make Way For Obama’s Indoor Basketball Court — The Picture Is From FDR’s Project And The Court Is Outside
Does a photo show demolition done to the White House by Barack Obama to install an indoor basketball court? No, that's not true: A black and white photo shows the West Wing expansion project conducted by President Franklin Roosevelt in 19
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show Mother Of Six Whose Food Stamps And Housing Benefits Were Cut From $4,300 To $19 Per Month — ‘Rage Bait’ Account Posts Fake Rants To Get Traffic
Does a viral video really show a mother of six's rant about her "food stamps" and housing benefits being cut from $4,300 per month to $19 per month? No, that's not true: The woman appearing in the video has previously said she posts the r
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Dapper Man Photographed Near Paris Louvre Is NOT A French Detective Working Case Of Stolen Crown Jewels — A Member Of The Public
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Disney Did NOT Repeatedly Offer Celebrities $60 Million Charlie Kirk Documentary Deal They Rejected — Copy Pasted Clickbait
Did Disney offer a $60 million deal to dozens of celebrities to produce a documentary about Charlie Kirk, which they all turned down, including the widow of the late conservative activist, Erika Kirk? No, that's not true: None of that is
The Dispatch→ Demolition Man
On the world’s most obvious metaphor.
PolitiFact→ The AI president: How Donald Trump uses artificial intelligence to promote himself, mock others
How Trump and the White House use AI on social media
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Video Of ICE Agent Deporting His Own Mother — AI Generated Parody
Is a video of an ICE agent deporting his own mother authentic? No, that's not true: The account that posted the video clearly labeled it "AI-generated parody - not real footage." The video shows signs it was produced by generative AI, suc
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s False Claims About Military Pay Raises and Recruitment
In a Sept. 30 address to military leaders and an Oct. 9 Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump made false claims about military pay raises and recruitment. Trump promoted a military pay raise of 3.8% for next year, claiming that this was “s
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Video Shows Dogs Trying To Steal Honey & Getting Stung By Bees — It’s AI
Is a video showing dogs trying to steal honey by poking a beehive with a stick and getting stung authentic? No, that's not true: The video was posted on a TikTok account that says it publishes "high quality 3D animated shorts". According
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: There WERE Children’s Hospitals In The U.S. When Rob Schneider Was A Kid — Since At Least 1855
Did the United States have no children's hospitals in the 1960s and 1970s, when comedian Rob Schneider was a child? No, that's not true: The first children's hospital was opened in Philadelphia in 1855, with 26 operating by 1895, accordin
The Dispatch→ The Shutdown Matters, but Probably Not for the Reasons You Think
Behind the political theater lies a fundamentally broken Washington.
The Dispatch→ Dispatch Politics Roundup: On Their Worst Behavior
Your weekly roundup from Washington, D.C.
The Dispatch→ Washington Seizes the Means of (Energy) Production
The good, the bad, and the ugly of state ownership in energy companies.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Steven Tyler Did NOT Start a ‘Whiskers & Wings’ Cat Sanctuary
Did Steven Tyler start a $1 million cat sanctuary called "Whiskers & Wings", in October 2025? No, that's not true: That widely-shared story, and the image that came with it, did not portray real events. We found no record of any such
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Bryan Kohberger’s Sister Did NOT Write A Book About The Idaho 4 Murders — Amazon Removes Title
Did convicted killer Bryan Kohberger's sister, Melissa Kohberger, write a book about his murder of University of Idaho students that is for sale on Amazon? No, that's not true: The attorney for the Kohberger family told Lead Stories that
Full Fact→ No, the government isn’t introducing a £500 ‘exit fee’ to leave the UK
Viral social media videos claiming that the government will introduce a £500 ‘exit fee’ to leave the UK from November are false.
AllSides→ Trump’s White House Ballroom Sparks Questions About Funding and Ethics
Trump’s White House Ballroom Sparks Questions About Funding and Ethics jbhicks Thu, 10/23/2025 - 07:35 Q: Is President Donald Trump paying in full for the new ballroom at the White House, and what is the cost? A: The White House said Tr
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Photo Does NOT Show Pam Bondi With Donald Trump And Jeffrey Epstein — It’s A Belgian Model
Does a photo show Pam Bondi with Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein? No, that's not true: The image being widely shared across social platforms with the claim it shows the future Attorney General Bondi with Trump and Epstein is real, but th
PolitiFact→ Food stamps: Facts to know as millions on SNAP face losing benefits during shutdown
Amid shutdown, fact-checking statements about food stamps
The Dispatch→ Trump’s Partial Ukraine U-Turn
More than three years into the war, Ukraine faces static frontlines and an inconsistent American president.
The Dispatch→ Bad Man Smokes Weed Doctrine
A case with inconvenient facts.
The Dispatch→ More Than Evolution Requires | Interview: Charles Murray
Assume a ladder.
The Dispatch→ Why the Open Technology Fund Is Worth Saving
The government-funded nonprofit has helped millions living under authoritarianism access the internet safely.
The Dispatch→ The Dust-Up Over Rare Earth Elements
Building supply chains to counter China’s dominance will take work.
The Dispatch→ Assessing Mike Johnson’s Claims About Democrats and the Government Shutdown
The House speaker called out Democratic demands to reopen the government on social media.
The Dispatch→ Blue Oyster Cult
How scummy is too scummy for a populist candidate?
The Dispatch→ Vance, Without Illusions
The vice president’s continued ascent has a lot of obstacles.
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s White House Ballroom Sparks Questions About Funding and Ethics
Q: Is President Donald Trump paying in full for the new ballroom at the White House, and what is the cost? A: The White House said Trump and “other patriot donors” would pay for the ballroom, which the president estimated would cost $25
PolitiFact→ Donald Trump – President Donald Trump said his new ballroom ‘won’t interfere with the current building.’ Full Flop!
A new White House ballroom “won't interfere with the current building.”
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: No "Televised Earthquake" — Donald Trump Did NOT Dismiss Lifetime Achievements Of Dick Van Dyke Saying "He’s Just A Dancer." — Copy-Paste Clickbait
Did Donald Trump (or another famous person) dismiss the achievements of Dick Van Dyke (or some other celebrity) by saying, "He's just a dancer." (or some other talent)? No, that's not true: This story about a broadcast studio turning into
PolitiFact→ Rand Paul – Is Rand Paul right that a quarter of Coast Guard searches of suspected drug boats come up empty?
“About 25% of the time the Coast Guard boards a ship, there are no drugs.”
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘No Viewing’, ‘Under 18 Unable To View’ Pop-Up Warnings In 2025 Oktoberfest Videos Are FAKE — NO Trampling Incidents Occurred
Do viral videos show an authentic disclaimer warning people that what they are about to see is a "trampling incident" during the 2025 Oktoberfest and that this footage is not appropriate for audiences below 18 years old? No, that's not tr
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Marco Rubio Did NOT Confirm Rosie O’Donnell’s Passport Was Revoked After She Forfeited Her American Citizenship — It’s Satire
Did Marco Rubio confirm Rosie O'Donnell's passport was revoked after she forfeited her American citizenship? No, that's not true: The story originated on the "America's Last Line of Defense" Facebook page, which is self-described as satir
PolitiFact→ Donald Trump – Donald Trump said half of US presidents have invoked the Insurrection Act. Is he right?
“Fifty percent of the presidents, almost, have used (the Insurrection Act). And that's unquestioned power.”