LEFT BIAS
These media sources are moderate to strongly biased toward liberal causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appealing to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports, and omit information that may damage liberal causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Left Bias sources.
- Overall, we rate Paul Krugman’s Substack Left for bias based on consistent editorial positions favoring progressive policies and Democratic politicians, combined with frequent criticism of conservative viewpoints. We also rate the Krugman newsletter High for factual reporting due to Krugman’s use of credible sources and adherence to evidence-based analysis despite clear political leanings.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT (-7.0)
Factual Reporting: HIGH (1.7)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
Paul Krugman’s Substack newsletter is written by Professor of Economics and former New York Times columnist Paul Krugman. Krugman launched his Substack after leaving the New York Times, reportedly due to editorial constraints on his publishing frequency. The newsletter covers economics, politics, and policy analysis.
Read our profile on the United States government and media.
Funded by / Ownership
Substack operates on a subscription model, although Krugman has stated, “this was never intended as a money-making venture,” and makes most content free, except for Sunday primers. The publication is independently owned by Krugman and funded through Substack’s platform revenue-sharing model.
Analysis / Bias
In review, Paul Krugman’s Substack demonstrates a clear left-leaning bias in both story selection and editorial positions. The newsletter frequently criticizes conservative economic policies and Republican politicians, uses emotionally loaded language in its headlines about MAGA/Trump supporters, such as “Exploiting Male Rage” and “When MAGA Prophecy Fails”.
It advocates for progressive policies, such as higher taxes on the wealthy and expanded social programs, while supporting Democratic politicians and criticizing Republican alternatives. In “Hey, let’s undermine America’s technology”, Krugman criticizes Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee policy, arguing it will damage American leadership in technology, education, and research sectors. He uses loaded language describing Trump officials as “minions” engaged in a “systematic campaign to undermine America’s preeminence” and characterizes the policy as “purely destructive.” The article supports its claims with hyperlinked sources from NBC News and references economic analyses, including the Draghi report on European competitiveness.
“Is the Jimmy Kimmel Saga a Sign that the Tide is Turning?” contains strong anti-Trump rhetoric, with Krugman stating, “It’s irrefutable now: Trump is nakedly following the playbook of autocrats like Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban.” The article backs claims with links to mainstream news sources such as The Atlantic.
In “Mamdani and the Moguls of Madness”, Krugman endorses progressive candidate Zohran Mamdani as superior to Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo for NYC mayor. He characterizes wealthy donors’ opposition to Mamdani as “hysteria”. The article demonstrates a clear bias in favor of the democratic socialist candidate over moderate Democrats.
Krugman consistently provides hyperlinked sources from reputable outlets, references academic reports, and cites organizations such as the American Immigration Council to support his claims. He openly acknowledges his political stance, noting in his bio that Donald Trump has called him a “Deranged BUM”. While his interpretation and framing of facts clearly favor liberal viewpoints, the underlying data and sources are typically accurate and verifiable.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the last 5 years.
Overall, we rate Paul Krugman’s Substack Left for bias based on consistent editorial positions favoring progressive policies and Democratic politicians, combined with frequent criticism of conservative viewpoints. We also rate the Krugman newsletter High for factual reporting due to Krugman’s use of credible sources and adherence to evidence-based analysis despite clear political leanings. (M. Huitsing 9/24/2025)
Source: https://paulkrugman.substack.com/
Last Updated on September 24, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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