RIGHT-CENTER BIAS
These media sources are slight to moderately conservative in 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 conservative causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information but may require further investigation. See all Right-Center sources.
- Overall, we rate Charlie Sykes’ newsletter as slightly Right-Center Biased, driven more by anti-Trump conservatism than progressive ideology. With transparent authorship, consistent referencing of real events, and no record of misinformation, it earns a High Factual rating
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: RIGHT-CENTER (2.0)
Factual Reporting: HIGH (1.5)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
Charlie Sykes’ Substack is the personal newsletter of longtime conservative commentator and Never Trump figure Charlie Sykes. The about page explains the publication—titled To the Contrary—as a community for readers seeking sober analysis and critiques of political extremism. Sykes, a former conservative radio host and co-founder of The Bulwark, uses the platform to continue his political commentary, podcasting, and interviews with political figures and experts.
Read our profile on the United States media and government.
Funded By / Ownership
Like most Substack newsletters, the site is funded entirely by reader subscriptions. There is no advertising and no institutional backing. Sykes monetizes through monthly/annual paid memberships and optional support. His work is otherwise independent, with no donors or organizational oversight.
Analysis / Bias
Sykes’ commentary is anti-Trump, anti-authoritarian, and critical of the GOP’s post-2016 trajectory while maintaining a center-right ideological background. His writing is more measured than far-left Substack voices and grounded in mainstream political analysis.
In Send in the Clowns, he sharply critiques Trump’s Ukraine diplomacy failures and Republican dysfunction using a mix of sourced reporting and opinionated rhetoric. In Nicholas Grossman: No, Dems Did NOT Win the Shutdown, he criticizes Democratic strategic errors, illustrating that his critique applies across parties, not only toward the right.
In A Warning About the Mamdani Model, he amplifies centrist Democratic arguments and warns against far-left policy approaches, showing clear distance from progressive ideological views. Overall, the newsletter presents center-right, pro-democracy analysis with consistent opposition to authoritarianism. Tone is one-sided but grounded in real political events.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the last 5 years.
Overall, we rate Charlie Sykes’ newsletter as slightly Right-Center Biased, driven more by anti-Trump conservatism than progressive ideology. With transparent authorship, consistent referencing of real events, and no record of misinformation, it earns a High Factual rating. (D. Van Zandt 11/28/2025)
Source: https://charliesykes.substack.com/
Last Updated on November 28, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources