Latest Articles The facts behind the 19 programs President Donald Trump described as ‘waste’ By Grace Abels • March 12, 2025 Elon Musk claims ‘massive' Social Security fraud. How much money is actually lost to fraud, waste? By Louis Jacobson • March 12, 2025 How does the US spend taxpayer money? What to know as DOGE, Elon Musk look for cuts By Louis Jacobson • February 24, 2025 DOGE touts billions in canceled government contracts. Where are the numbers coming from? By Caleb McCullough • February 21, 2025 Are 150-year-old Americans receiving Social Security checks, as Elon Musk said? By Louis Jacobson • February 17, 2025 Ask PolitiFact: Is the State Department about to pay Tesla $400 million for Cybertrucks? No By Louis Jacobson • February 13, 2025 Do Elon Musk and DOGE have power to cut spending, close agencies? By Louis Jacobson • February 7, 2025 Claims about Politico, ‘DEI musical’ and USAID spending distort the facts By Caleb McCullough • February 7, 2025 School meals? Cancer trials? What we know about Trump’s federal funding freeze By Louis Jacobson • January 28, 2025 'Transgender monkeys'? Musk highlights misleading posts in push for new Government Efficiency group By Caleb McCullough • November 18, 2024 How Donald Trump and Kamala Harris want to change your taxes By Louis Jacobson • October 9, 2024 Do Jesse Watters’ claims about the federal budget, LGBTQ+ and DEI funding add up? By Grace Abels • March 29, 2024 Can the U.S. keep aid to Gaza out of Hamas’ hands? By Louis Jacobson • October 23, 2023 U.S. aid to Israel: What to know By Louis Jacobson • October 18, 2023 Will Social Security checks go out if there’s a government shutdown? By Louis Jacobson • September 26, 2023 Could a President Vivek Ramaswamy lay off 75% of federal workers by himself? By Louis Jacobson • September 26, 2023 Here we go again: what to know about government shutdowns By Louis Jacobson • September 20, 2023 A family budget is often invoked in U.S. debt fights. Just how similar is it to a federal budget? By Louis Jacobson • May 17, 2023 The battle over the debt limit: What to know after the House GOP passed its bill By Louis Jacobson • April 28, 2023 The debt limit fight: Why does it matter? How could it be resolved? By Louis Jacobson • January 19, 2023
The facts behind the 19 programs President Donald Trump described as ‘waste’ By Grace Abels • March 12, 2025 Elon Musk claims ‘massive' Social Security fraud. How much money is actually lost to fraud, waste? By Louis Jacobson • March 12, 2025 How does the US spend taxpayer money? What to know as DOGE, Elon Musk look for cuts By Louis Jacobson • February 24, 2025 DOGE touts billions in canceled government contracts. Where are the numbers coming from? By Caleb McCullough • February 21, 2025 Are 150-year-old Americans receiving Social Security checks, as Elon Musk said? By Louis Jacobson • February 17, 2025 Ask PolitiFact: Is the State Department about to pay Tesla $400 million for Cybertrucks? No By Louis Jacobson • February 13, 2025 Do Elon Musk and DOGE have power to cut spending, close agencies? By Louis Jacobson • February 7, 2025 Claims about Politico, ‘DEI musical’ and USAID spending distort the facts By Caleb McCullough • February 7, 2025 School meals? Cancer trials? What we know about Trump’s federal funding freeze By Louis Jacobson • January 28, 2025 'Transgender monkeys'? Musk highlights misleading posts in push for new Government Efficiency group By Caleb McCullough • November 18, 2024 How Donald Trump and Kamala Harris want to change your taxes By Louis Jacobson • October 9, 2024 Do Jesse Watters’ claims about the federal budget, LGBTQ+ and DEI funding add up? By Grace Abels • March 29, 2024 Can the U.S. keep aid to Gaza out of Hamas’ hands? By Louis Jacobson • October 23, 2023 U.S. aid to Israel: What to know By Louis Jacobson • October 18, 2023 Will Social Security checks go out if there’s a government shutdown? By Louis Jacobson • September 26, 2023 Could a President Vivek Ramaswamy lay off 75% of federal workers by himself? By Louis Jacobson • September 26, 2023 Here we go again: what to know about government shutdowns By Louis Jacobson • September 20, 2023 A family budget is often invoked in U.S. debt fights. Just how similar is it to a federal budget? By Louis Jacobson • May 17, 2023 The battle over the debt limit: What to know after the House GOP passed its bill By Louis Jacobson • April 28, 2023 The debt limit fight: Why does it matter? How could it be resolved? By Louis Jacobson • January 19, 2023