WTF Just Happened Today? - Bias and Credibility

LEFT-CENTER BIAS

These media sources have a slight to moderate progressive/liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes) to favor progressive/liberal causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information, but may require further investigation. See all Left-Center sources.

Overall, we rate WTFJHT as Left-centered due to its reliance on left-leaning mainstream sources and its editorial choices in story selection. We rate its reporting as Mostly Factual rather than High because the selection of stories and omission of counterpoints may introduce bias through framing, influencing reader perception despite relying on credible sources.

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER (-4.8)
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL (2.6)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY

History

What The Fuck Just Happened Today? (WTFJHT) is a political blog and newsletter founded by Matt Kiser in January 2017. According to its about page, WTFJHT initially conceived as a personal project to document the significant events of the Trump administration’s first 100 days, it quickly evolved into a full-time endeavor due to its growing popularity. The platform aims to distill the daily developments in U.S. politics into concise summaries, helping readers navigate the complex news landscape. What The Fuck Just Happened Today? is based in Seattle, Washington.

Read our profile on the United States government and media.

Funded by / Ownership

WTFJHT is owned and operated by founder Matt Kiser, and it is funded through subscriptions, donations, and contributions without advertisements. Support options include monthly or annual memberships and one-time contributions.

Analysis / Bias

WTFJHT summarizes daily political events, with a strong focus on the executive branch of the U.S. government. Each edition starts with a brief one-sentence summary of key events, followed by a numbered list breaking down major political developments with curated sources.

For example, in Day 1473: “Infamous and disgraceful,” the newsletter provides a summary of major political actions, such as Trump’s Justice Department firing federal prosecutors and FBI officials, the removal of LGBTQ+ data from the CDC, and new tariffs on imports. Each numbered section expands on a specific topic with details and multiple hyperlinks to mainstream media sources, including The Washington Post, New York Times, CNN, NBC News, Reuters, and Politico.

WTFJHT maintains a fact-based approach by summarizing key stories from major outlets, but its editorial choices, such as the selection of stories and framing of summaries, introduce subtle biases. The explicit language in its branding and occasional use of emotionally loaded language (e.g., “infamous and disgraceful”) conveys a critical stance. While the platform does not add personal commentary, focusing on specific topics and excluding counterpoints can shape reader perception.

Regarding sourcing, the platform relies on mainstream, well-established news outlets and links directly to original reporting. However, it does not independently verify claims; instead, it curates and summarizes existing news articles. Its reliance on legacy media means any bias present in the original sources may be reflected in its summaries.

Generally, WTFJHT presents fact-based news aggregation but, with editorial judgment in story selection and framing, presents a left-leaning bias.

Failed Fact Checks

None in the Last 5 years

Overall, we rate WTFJHT as Left-centered due to its reliance on left-leaning mainstream sources and its editorial choices in story selection. We rate its reporting as Mostly Factual rather than High because the selection of stories and omission of counterpoints may introduce bias through framing, influencing reader perception despite relying on credible sources. (M. Huitsing 02/02/2025)

Source: https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/

Last Updated on February 1, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check