USA Today Bias and Reliability

gif of interactive media bias chart

Compare the scores of USA Today to other sources on our free Interactive Media Bias Chart®️. Click Here!

logo of USA Today

Bias: Middle

Reliability: Reliable, Analysis/Fact Reporting

Overall Score

The following are the overall bias and reliability scores for USA Today according to our Ad Fontes Media ratings methodology.

Bias: -3.93

Reliability: 40.15

Bias scores for articles and shows are on a scale of -42 to +42, with higher negative scores being more left, higher positive scores being more right, and scores closer to zero being minimally biased, equally balanced, or exhibiting a centrist bias.

Reliability scores for articles and shows are on a scale of 0-64. Scores above 36 are generally good; scores below 24 are generally problematic. Scores between 24-36 indicate a range of possibilities, with some sources falling there because they are heavy in opinion and/or analysis, and some because they have a high variation in reliability between content pieces.

Panels of analysts from Ad Fontes Media regularly review representative sample content to rate it for reliability and bias. Each panel of analysts comprises one left-leaning, one right-leaning, and one center-leaning analyst.

The team considers a variety of factors when rating content. To determine the bias score of a piece of content, we consider its language, its political position, and how it compares to other reporting from other sources on the same topic. We add each of these scores to the chart on a weighted scale, with the average of those creating the source’s overall bias score.

To determine its reliability score, we consider the content’s veracity, expression, its title/headline, and graphics. We add each of these scores to the chart on a weighted scale, with the average of those creating the source’s overall reliability score.

The bias rating, demonstrated on the horizontal axis of the Media Bias Chart®️, ranges from most extreme left to middle to most extreme right. The reliability rating, demonstrated on the chart’s vertical axis, rates sources on a scale from original fact reporting to analysis, opinion, selective/incomplete, misleading, and inaccurate/fabricated information.

Individual Content Sample Scores

These are the most recent content samples that Ad Fontes Media analysts have rated for this source.

Content Sample URL Bias Reliability
Trump threatens Canada with tariffs over wildfire smoke: 'Unacceptable!'0.044.33
Bill Pulte as DNI? Another unqualified Trump toady ascends. | Opinion-13.6726.67
Will King Charles' visit clear tensions in US-UK friendship?-839.0
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2026/04/15/krispy-kreme-data-breach-settlement-eligibility/89627879007/0.010.33
Birthright citizenship fight rewrites America's history | Opinion-1729.67
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/26/trump-olympics-womens-hockey-team/88876413007/-1.6742.0
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/02/03/grammys-bad-bunny-acceptance-speech-ice/8847538500717.6726.67
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/01/30/melania-movie-amazon-documentary-trump/88415378007/-1725.67
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/01/09/thom-tillis-greenland-stephen-miller-cnn/88084951007/-928.67
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/12/11/indiana-vote-redistricting-maps-trump-pressure/87714557007/-1.6745.0
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/11/13/starbucks-workers-united-union-red-cup-day-strike-why/87247776007/1.043.0
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/local/2025/10/15/sarasota-county-schools-employee-arrested-for-sexual-abuse-of-teen/86712271007/0.042.67
National Guard troops seen patrolling in Memphis, as judge blocks deployment in Chicago-342.67
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/10/08/trump-flag-burning-first-amendment-portland-free-speech/86589856007/-2.3342.67
Trump signs order renaming Department of Defense the Department of War1.3344.0
'Filled with grief and devastation’ : Trump surveys Texas flood damage. Live updates-4.6743.33
Trump and FLOTUS booed and cheered at the Kennedy Center while attending 'Les Misérables'-6.3341.0
Joe Biden was last screened for prostate cancer in 2014 before diagnosis0.043.0
Trump, Carney debate annexing Canada as 51st state in White House visit: recap-4.3343.33
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/04/03/trump-tariffs-where-will-money-go/82792578007/-346.33
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/03/16/white-lotus-trump-scene-republican-voters/82267719007/13.3330.0
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/17/fired-federal-workers-performance-language-doge/78886104007/-744.0
Close Department of Education? Former schools chief Betsy DeVos makes the case. | Opinion12.029.67
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/02/11/starbucks-sued-missouri-dei-bias/78434339007/-1.6743.0
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/taxes/2025/02/11/social-security-tax-10-states/78294925007/0.043.0