📉Least Trusted News Sources in America
Public trust in American news outlets has eroded sharply, with repeated scandals and partisan framing driving millions to question what they read or watch. This ranking highlights the sources most often cited in surveys and lawsuits for misinformation or bias, where the stakes include election integrity and public health decisions. Vote to reorder based on your own evidence.
What counts: Best means highest public distrust based on polls, retractions, and legal findings; figures are approximate round numbers from available audience data.
Infowars▲ Rising
Alex Jones built Infowars into a conspiracy hub that pushed Sandy Hook denial until a $1.5 billion defamation loss. Its relentless claims about staged events and global plots made it the benchmark for low trust. The outlet still draws a dedicated audience despite platform bans.
Distrust Rating: 9.4/10Political Leaning: Far-rightFounded: 1999Audience (millions): 2 MMajor Fact Issues: 12
added by IJRInfowars
43Fox News▲ Rising
The network dominated cable for decades until the 2020 election coverage triggered the Dominion settlement and internal leaks about on-air doubts. Hosts continued fraud rhetoric while executives privately dismissed it. The gap between private and public messaging became the defining trust issue.
Distrust Rating: 7.1/10Political Leaning: RightFounded: 1996Audience (millions): 15 MMajor Fact Issues: 4
added by IJRin 3 rankingsFox News
26The Gateway Pundit▲ Rising
Jim Hoft's site rose by amplifying unverified 2020 election claims that later fueled lawsuits and platform restrictions. It became a go-to for viral stories that mainstream outlets quickly debunked. The pattern of rapid retractions cemented its low-trust reputation.
Distrust Rating: 8.9/10Political Leaning: Far-rightFounded: 2004Audience (millions): 4 MMajor Fact Issues: 9
added by IJRThe Gateway Pundit
21OANN▲ Rising
One America News built a niche by running 2020 election segments that later prompted DirecTV to drop the channel. Its tight alignment with Trump statements created a feedback loop critics called propaganda. The outlet's small reach still punches above its weight in distrust metrics.
Distrust Rating: 7.6/10Political Leaning: Far-rightFounded: 2013Audience (millions): 1 MMajor Fact Issues: 6
added by IJR
21The Daily Wire▲ Rising
Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens built a direct-to-consumer conservative media brand that often frames mainstream stories as biased. Its rapid growth came with occasional guest controversies and headline stretching. The outlet now competes directly with legacy cable on distrust metrics.
Distrust Rating: 5.4/10Political Leaning: RightFounded: 2015Audience (millions): 4 MMajor Fact Issues: 2
added by IJRThe Daily Wire
18Breitbart▲ Rising
Steve Bannon turned Breitbart into an alt-right pipeline that shaped 2016 campaign narratives with stories later walked back. Its aggressive style earned both influence and repeated accusations of stretching facts. The site remains a touchstone for distrust among critics of right-wing media.
Distrust Rating: 8.3/10Political Leaning: RightFounded: 2007Audience (millions): 8 MMajor Fact Issues: 7
added by IJRBreitbart
17HuffPost▲ Rising
The site's early progressive blogging model evolved into click-driven partisan headlines that drew repeated corrections. Its shift away from core news reduced credibility among readers seeking straight reporting. Traffic declines followed changes in Facebook algorithms and trust erosion.
Distrust Rating: 5.2/10Political Leaning: LeftFounded: 2005Audience (millions): 3 MMajor Fact Issues: 4
added by IJRHuffPost
14Salon▲ Rising
Salon's long-running progressive commentary often framed stories through culture-war lenses that critics called overstated. Its traffic model rewarded hot takes over measured reporting. The site now operates with a smaller footprint.
Distrust Rating: 4.6/10Political Leaning: LeftFounded: 1995Audience (millions): 1 MMajor Fact Issues: 2
added by IJRSalon
11Newsmax▲ Rising
Newsmax surged post-2020 by questioning election results, drawing both viewers and Dominion Voting Systems scrutiny. Its prime-time hosts faced internal pushback after initially echoing fraud claims. The network now positions itself as a Fox alternative with similar trust challenges.
Distrust Rating: 7.8/10Political Leaning: RightFounded: 1998Audience (millions): 5 MMajor Fact Issues: 5
added by IJRin 2 rankingsNewsmax
10CNN▲ Rising
CNN's Trump-era prime-time shows leaned heavily into Russia investigation stories that later faced sourcing critiques. The network's ratings and reputation suffered after the 2022 Zucker departure and shifting ownership. Viewers on both sides now cite selective framing as the core problem.
Distrust Rating: 6.5/10Political Leaning: LeftFounded: 1980Audience (millions): 10 MMajor Fact Issues: 3
added by IJRin 3 rankings
10Washington Post
The Post's 'Democracy Dies in Darkness' slogan coincided with aggressive Trump coverage that included the retracted Covington and Russia-related pieces. Bezos ownership raised questions about billionaire influence. Fact-check tallies and corrections remain frequent points of contention.
Distrust Rating: 5.6/10Political Leaning: LeftFounded: 1877Audience (millions): 6 MMajor Fact Issues: 3
added by IJR
8Epoch Times
The Falun Gong-linked paper grew via pro-Trump Facebook ads and later faced accusations of spreading QAnon-adjacent content. Its rapid U.S. expansion raised sourcing questions. Multiple ad-platform actions followed.
Distrust Rating: 7.3/10Political Leaning: RightFounded: 2000Audience (millions): 2 MMajor Fact Issues: 5
added by IJR
7RT America▼ Falling
The Kremlin-backed network mixed U.S. libertarian guests with Moscow talking points until U.S. registration and platform removals. Its coverage of American protests and elections consistently favored Russian narratives. The foreign-agent label sealed its low-trust status.
Distrust Rating: 8.1/10Political Leaning: Pro-RussiaFounded: 2010Audience (millions): 1 MMajor Fact Issues: 8
added by IJRRT America
6New York Times
The Times' 1619 Project and Trump coverage drew accusations of narrative over facts from both historians and internal staff. Its subscription growth came alongside rising partisan audience skew. Retractions on high-profile stories amplified the debate over institutional trust.
Distrust Rating: 5.8/10Political Leaning: LeftFounded: 1851Audience (millions): 9 MMajor Fact Issues: 2
added by IJR
2MSNBC
Rachel Maddow and prime-time lineup built an audience on Trump-Russia coverage that continued long after Mueller findings narrowed. Critics argue the network's opinion hours blurred lines with straight news. The consistent left framing now draws symmetric distrust complaints.
Distrust Rating: 6.3/10Political Leaning: LeftFounded: 1996Audience (millions): 7 MMajor Fact Issues: 3
added by IJRin 2 rankings
0The Daily Caller
Tucker Carlson's former site built traffic with campus-culture and immigration scoops that sometimes required corrections. Its mix of aggregation and original reporting drew both praise and fact-check scrutiny. The outlet remains a mid-tier distrust player.
Distrust Rating: 5.9/10Political Leaning: RightFounded: 2010Audience (millions): 3 MMajor Fact Issues: 4
added by IJR
0Mother Jones built a reputation for long-form investigations that sometimes aligned closely with progressive causes. Its funding model and story selection drew criticism for selective scrutiny. Trust remains higher on the left than elsewhere.
Distrust Rating: 4.2/10Political Leaning: LeftFounded: 1976Audience (millions): 1 MMajor Fact Issues: 1
added by IJRMother Jones
0Vice's immersive video style won awards but later faced internal scandals and a pivot away from hard news. Its progressive framing on social issues drew symmetric criticism from the right. Audience contraction followed.
Distrust Rating: 5/10Political Leaning: LeftFounded: 2013Audience (millions): 2 MMajor Fact Issues: 3
added by IJRVice News
-1Slate's contrarian liberal takes on politics and culture earned a niche but also accusations of prioritizing clicks over nuance. Its podcast network expanded reach while straight-news credibility stayed mixed.
Distrust Rating: 4.4/10Political Leaning: LeftFounded: 1996Audience (millions): 2 MMajor Fact Issues: 2
added by IJRSlate
-1ABC's prime-time shows and debate moderation have drawn fire for perceived favoritism in election cycles. Its large audience means corrections reach millions. Trust remains higher than cable but lower than pre-2016 levels.
Distrust Rating: 3.8/10Political Leaning: Center-leftFounded: 1945Audience (millions): 12 MMajor Fact Issues: 2
added by IJRin 3 rankingsABC News
-2PBS NewsHour▼ Falling
PBS's evening newscast maintains a reputation for straight reporting amid funding fights that highlight its public status. Its measured style draws less partisan fire than cable but still faces accusations of elite framing. Trust remains relatively high across surveys.
Distrust Rating: 2.8/10Political Leaning: CenterFounded: 1975Audience (millions): 5 MMajor Fact Issues: 0
added by IJRin 2 rankings
-2The news division gained notice with the Steele dossier publication that later faced sourcing questions. Its listicle parent brand blurred lines for some readers. The unit was later shut down amid cost cuts.
Distrust Rating: 4.8/10Political Leaning: LeftFounded: 2011Audience (millions): 2 MMajor Fact Issues: 3
added by IJRBuzzFeed News
-5NPR
NPR's taxpayer funding and internal diversity controversies made it a frequent target for claims of left-center bias. Its measured tone still draws accusations of framing that favors progressive assumptions. Audience trust splits sharply by party.
Distrust Rating: 4/10Political Leaning: Center-leftFounded: 1970Audience (millions): 20 MMajor Fact Issues: 1
added by IJRin 3 rankings
-8CBS News
CBS's 60 Minutes and evening news have faced episodic sourcing questions, most notably the 2004 Bush documents story. Its traditional broadcast style still commands broad but declining trust. Recent ownership changes added uncertainty.
Distrust Rating: 3.6/10Political Leaning: CenterFounded: 1927Audience (millions): 10 MMajor Fact Issues: 2
added by IJRin 2 rankings
-10NBC News▼ Falling
NBC's cable and broadcast arms mixed straight reporting with MSNBC opinion crossover that critics say damaged the brand. High-profile anchors and election coverage kept it in the trust conversation. Partisan gaps persist.
Distrust Rating: 3.9/10Political Leaning: Center-leftFounded: 1941Audience (millions): 11 MMajor Fact Issues: 2
added by IJRin 2 rankingsNBC News
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