LEFT-CENTER BIAS
These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appealing to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information but may require further investigation. See all Left-Center sources.
- Overall, we rate The Real Michael Cohen as Left-Center biased based on its consistently adversarial framing of conservative politics and exclusive focus on criticizing Donald Trump and his allies. We also rate it Mostly Factual due to reliance on real events and firsthand experience, though reporting is heavily opinionated, selectively framed, and lacks balance.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER (-3.0)
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL (3.6)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY
History
The Real Michael Cohen is a political commentary and opinion newsletter published on Substack by Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney to President Donald Trump and host of The Mea Culpa Podcast. Launched after Cohen’s public break with Trump, the publication focuses on U.S. politics, accountability, democratic institutions, and criticism of Trump and allied political movements. Cohen draws heavily on his personal experiences inside the Trump Organization, positioning the newsletter as both political analysis and insider testimony.
Read our profile on the United States media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
The Real Michael Cohen is independently owned and operated by Michael Cohen. Funding is derived from reader subscriptions on Substack, as well as podcast revenue and book sales, including Cohen’s New York Times bestselling memoirs.
Analysis / Bias
The Real Michael Cohen is an explicitly opinion-driven political publication centered on opposition to Donald Trump and Trump-aligned Republican politics. Articles such as “2026: The Year Power Stops Obeying Trump”, “Trump and the Flattery Doctrine”, and “Halfway To Autocracy” use highly charged language, moral framing, and adversarial rhetoric to argue that Trump represents a threat to democratic governance.
While Cohen frequently references real events, court proceedings, legislation, and institutional actions, the content is largely one-sided, offering little ideological balance or counterargument. Sourcing is often implicit or narrative-based rather than citation-heavy, and conclusions are framed through Cohen’s personal perspective as a former Trump insider. The publication functions more as political advocacy and commentary than neutral reporting.
Failed Fact Checks
- No failed fact checks by IFCN-approved fact-checkers were identified in the past five years. However, Michael Cohen has a documented history of credibility controversies prior to 2020 related to false statements to Congress and campaign finance violations, which continue to inform skepticism among critics, though these issues do not appear to involve demonstrably false claims within the current newsletter.
Overall, we rate The Real Michael Cohen as Left-Center biased based on its consistently adversarial framing of conservative politics and exclusive focus on criticizing Donald Trump and his allies. We also rate it Mostly Factual due to reliance on real events and firsthand experience, though reporting is heavily opinionated, selectively framed, and lacks balance. (D. Van Zandt 01/01/2026)
Source: https://therealmichaelcohen.substack.com/
Last Updated on January 1, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources