GovTruths
About GovTruths

Accountability journalism for American democracy.

GovTruths is an independent fact-checking publication dedicated to verifying claims made by politicians, government agencies, and media outlets — and publishing what the evidence actually shows.

Our Mission

We believe an informed citizenry is the foundation of a functioning democracy. GovTruths exists to cut through partisan noise, verify official claims against primary sources, and present findings in plain language that any American can understand and act on.

Independence

We accept no funding from political parties, campaigns, or government agencies. Our editorial decisions are made without outside influence.

Transparency

Every verdict we publish links to primary sources. We show our work so readers can verify our reasoning for themselves.

Accuracy

We correct errors promptly and prominently. When new evidence changes a verdict, we update the record and explain why.

Editorial Standards

Our fact-checking process follows a consistent methodology applied to every claim we investigate.

  1. 01

    Claim selection

    We prioritize claims that are specific, verifiable, and consequential — statements that could meaningfully affect how citizens understand policy or government action.

  2. 02

    Source research

    We consult primary sources first: government data, court records, peer-reviewed research, and official transcripts. We do not rely on secondary reporting as a primary source.

  3. 03

    Expert review

    For technical claims involving economics, law, or science, we consult subject-matter experts before publishing a verdict.

  4. 04

    Right of response

    When a claim is attributed to a named individual or organization, we contact them for comment before publishing.

  5. 05

    Verdict and publication

    Verdicts are assigned by our editorial team and reviewed by a second editor before publication. No single reporter can publish a verdict without review.

Verdict Scale

We use a five-point scale to rate the accuracy of claims.

Verified — The claim is accurate and supported by strong primary-source evidence.
True — The claim is substantially accurate, with minor caveats that do not change its overall meaning.
Mixed — The claim contains elements of truth but omits important context or combines accurate and inaccurate elements.
False — The claim is contradicted by primary-source evidence or established fact.
Unverifiable — Insufficient public evidence exists to confirm or deny the claim at this time.