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Associated Press

-2.93
Lean LeftLean Left biasWhat does this mean?

How we determined this rating:

  • Independent Review
  • Editorial Review: May 2026, Apr 2025, Feb 2025, Nov 2024, Aug 2020, Apr 2020, Aug 2019, Sep 2018
  • Blind Survey: Dec 2024, Feb 2020
  • AllSides has medium confidence in this bias rating.

Unless otherwise noted, this bias rating refers only to online news coverage, not TV, print, or radio content.

Learn about our bias rating methods
Contents
  1. About Associated Press's Bias Rating
  2. What a "Lean Left" Rating Means
  3. Details
  4. Bias Reviews
  5. Confidence Level
  6. Additional Information
  7. Ownership & Funding

About Associated Press's Bias Rating

Associated Press is featured on the AllSides Media Bias Chart™.

Associated Press is a news media source with an AllSides Media Bias Rating™ of Lean Left.

NOTE: AllSides rates AP's Fact Check section separately.

Types of media bias AllSides has most often detected in AP U.S. political news coverage includes analysis presented as fact, subjective qualifying adjectives, word choice bias, bias by omission of views and omission of source attribution. AllSides primarily assesses content that appears on apnews.com for bias, though we have sometimes assessed its wire content for bias as well.

What a "Lean Left" Rating Means

Sources with an AllSides Media Bias Rating of Lean Left display media bias in ways that moderately align with liberal, progressive, or left-wing thought and/or policy agendas. A Lean Left bias is a moderately liberal rating on the political spectrum.

Learn more about Lean Left ratings

Details

Why AP Media Bias Deserves High Level of Scrutiny

The Associated Press has historically been considered the "gold standard" of objective journalism. It operates a wire service, meaning local and national news organizations around the country use AP's content to fill gaps in their coverage. That means AP news content has extremely wide impact and reach.

As such, AllSides does particularly extensive analysis of AP. When AP displays political bias, or fails to portray political events, legislation, and perspectives in a balanced and even-handed way, the impact is broad and far-reaching. A media outlet that is relied upon by outlets all over the country deserves a high level of scrutiny when it comes to political bias.

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Bias Reviews

We use multiple methods to analyze sources. Learn how we rate media bias.

Note that AP is one of the world's largest wire services. This rating is for AP's U.S. political news only.

AP Shifts from Left to Lean Left Following May 2026 Editorial Review

Associated Press (AP) was rated Lean Left (-2.98) in a May 2026 Editorial Review with a panel of six expert right, center and left reviewers (two per category). The new, overall weighted average for AP is Lean Left (-2.93), a statistically negligible category change that moved AP from its  previous Left category rating of -3.02 by just 0.05 points. 

Read our blog on the Editorial Review here.

The panel spent considerable time discussing AP’s bias and was unanimous that the category change does not signal that AP’s reporting bias drastically changed or moved rightward. Rather, AP has long lived inside the borderline between Left and Lean Left, with its bias rating fluctuating between the two in ongoing reviews over the last two years. See the AllSides blog post further explaining the new rating here. 

During the review, panelists identified repeated patterns of bias, primarily through story choice, word choice, spin, slant and opinion stated as fact. Panelists noted that AP rarely states neutrally that Donald Trump “said” something, instead often using spin words such as “downplaying,” “venting,” “lambasted.” One of the Center reviewers rated the outlet furthest to the left at -4.2 (Left) compared to anyone else on the panel, arguing that reading AP suggests “the political right is evil and that anyone who stands up to them is doing the right thing.” They noted that deportations are framed as “never [warranted], always oppressing people wrongfully.” The Center panelist also found that AP includes counterarguments mainly when they cut against President Donald Trump or Republicans, not when they would help them.

The two Lean Right panelists both rated the AP at -3.0 (Left), agreeing that bias frequently appeared through slant and “liberal-coded language,” such as using “anti-abortion” instead of “pro-life,” capitalizing “Black” ,” and describing a Supreme Court redistricting decision as a “setback for Black residents” - language one Lean Right panelist called a progressive interpretation of the ruling instead of straightforward reporting. 

The other Lean Right panelist detected strong liberal bias in AP’s immigration coverage, saying its reporting relies heavily on emotionalism. Some articles featured reports on a “French widow” and a “gay asylum seeker,” burying details until the middle or end of the articles about why they were detained, showing bias by information placement. 

One Lean Right panelist identified opinion stated as fact in the article, “Trump FDA chief is leaving after angering pharma CEOs, vaping lobbyists and anti-abortion groups,” noting the reporter wrote that the HHS and Rfk Jr. are “overridden by political interests” without citing any sources. 

The two Lean Left panelists gave softer ratings of Lean Left (-2.5) and (-2.2) respectively, but the ratings did not suggest that AP was neutral. The Lean Left panelists identified recurring progressive spin and anti-Trump slant, but distinguished AP from farther left outlets, arguing that its bias appears rooted more in institutional/establishment liberal assumptions versus a “tear the whole system down” bias.

A Center panelist noted “revisionist history on Biden-era issues like inflation and immigration,” pointing to a piece that said, “Border encounters dropped toward the end of the Biden administration and reached record low numbers under the second Trump administration.” They noted AP did not mention immigration numbers hit record highs under Biden.

Panelists also noted that the story categories on AP’s website leaned left: “Immigration,” “Education,” “Abortion,” “LGBTQ+.” Cost of living, crime, and national debt – issues of importance to the right — are absent.

Overall, the review found AP continues to exhibit the same recurring left-leaning editorial patterns identified in prior reviews. The new rating reflects just how narrowly the outlet sits between two adjacent categories.

Articles reviewed included:

  • Trump’s proposed ‘Golden Dome’ estimated to cost $1.2 trillion, far more than he initially said
    • Spin: AP calls the Republican budget “massive” and the Golden Dome sum “far heftier” than initial price tags — “both cast these initiatives as excessive,” the Center reviewer said.
    • A Center panelist wrote: “This is a LL story, focuses on placing Trump in a negative light,” adding that the report doesn’t “mention until pretty deep in that the CBO is not very confident in this numbered estimate.”
    • A Lean Left reviewer, while still rating the article leftward, acknowledged balance where AP included President Trump’s rationale early, writing: “Props for giving Trump a quote in his own defense pretty early on.”
  • Supreme Court halts order for Alabama to use US House map with 2 largely Black districts
    • A Center panelist identified viewpoint omission and spin in this article, writing “Will any voters benefit from this? Or is it all bad and racist? Unclear from AP’s article.”
    • A Lean Right reviewer identified headline bias, spin, slant and story choice bias, writing the “entire article is based on the premise that SCOTUS’ decision is racially harmful/treats legal ruling on voting rights act interpretation as an act of aggression/oppression. Very little reasoning provided for why SCOTUS ruled the way that it did.”
  • 85-year-old French widow caught in Trump’s immigration crackdown describes her detention
    • A Center panelist identified slant and story choice bias, saying the AP “could've easily chosen to highlight someone who was rightfully deported or had more justification.”
    • A Lean Left panelist said this was an “Immigration story at a time when much of the news cycle is focused elsewhere and deportations have slowed.”
    • A Lean Right panelist identified bias by placement, saying “we don’t learn this until halfway through why she was detained. The whole piece is slanted to make you think she didn’t do anything wrong: ‘According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Ross had overstayed her 90-day visa at the time of her arrest.’” 
  • How Trump’s immigration crackdown is affecting everyday Americans, according to a new AP-NORC poll
    • A Center panelist described it as “LL story choice” and questioned the neutrality of the polling framing itself, asking: “the participants in an AP poll might be skewed left, how reputable is their polling data?”
  • Attorneys for suspect in Los Angeles’ Palisades Fire seek his release based on new evidence
    • This piece did not mention the suspect’s alleged left-wing views as other media outlets did, a Lean Right panelist noted.
  • Trump nominates Cameron Hamilton, fired after defending FEMA, to lead the agency 
    • Bias by placement: This information on Hamilton’s credentials is the last paragraph.
    • Spin: Tells the reader Hamilton shared “misinformation,” but doesn’t explain what that is or how AP is defining it.
    • Word choice bias: “undocumented immigrants”
  • Trump says he’ll move to suspend federal gasoline tax. He can’t do it on his own 
    • Slant: The Lean Right reviewer said the “headline seems to cast Trump as borderline incompetent; it doesn’t mention in the headline what AP admits later, which is that “lawmakers from both parties have pushed for a gas-tax suspension. They have a whole separate article on this. Alternative headline could’ve been, “Trump, lawmakers say they support suspending federal gas tax”
    • Panelists said the rest of the article was balanced.
  • Trump FDA chief is leaving after angering pharma CEOs, vaping lobbyists and anti-abortion groups
    • Analysis presented as fact: “But he struggled to manage the FDA’s bureaucracy and failed to win the confidence of its staff after mass layoffs, leadership changes and a series of controversies in which the agency’s scientific principles appeared to be overridden by political interests, including those of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”
    • Slant: “Anti-abortion groups have criticized Makary for allegedly slow-walking an internal review of the abortion pill mifepristone, which has been on the market for 25 years but remains a target for conservative activists.”
      • A Lean Right panelist noted AP “shapes reader perception to believe mifepristone is safe simply because it has been on the market for 25 years and adding the layer of it being a “target for conservative activists,” [this is] not neutral framing or contextualization. Doesn’t include any concerns at all like the deaths that have been linked to the abortion pill.”

Additional articles reviewed:

AllSides July/August 2025 Bias Audit Finds Indicators of Left-Leaning Bias in AP Wire Content

In late July and early August 2025, AllSides conducted a bias audit of a local news outlet that republishes content from AP. A three-person Small Group Editorial Review — consisting of reviewers from the Left, Center, and Right — found that the AP wire content displayed various types of bias, including word choice bias, slant, and unsubstantiated claims. Reviewers noted that the AP content contributed significantly to the local outlet’s overall left-leaning rating. 

The Center reviewer summarized, “the most biased articles were from AP,” noting they were “clearly anti-Trump’s trade policy… and pro-Palestinian.” Both the Lean Left and Lean Right reviewers echoed this assessment. 

Examples of bias identified in republished AP content included: 

  • US envoy arrives in Israel to monitor Gaza food distribution as humanitarian crisis worsens
    • Bias by viewpoint placement and emotionalism: The Center reviewer observed that pro-Palestinian perspectives were quoted more often and in greater “graphic detail [thus triggering emotions],” while Israeli explanations were reduced to brief mentions (e.g., “Israel accuses Hamas of sabotage”).
    • Bias by source omission: References to “aid organizations” and “international organizations” were vague and lacked specific attribution. 
  • House committee issues subpoenas for Epstein files, depositions with Clintons
    • Word choice, unsubstantiated claim: The phrase “conservative conspiracists” was questioned by the Lean Left reviewer, who noted it broadly labeled the conspiracies as conservative without evidence.
    • Unsubstantiated claim, slant: “But lawmakers from both major political parties as well as many in the Republican president’s political base, have refused to let it go.” 
  • US employers slash hiring as Trump advances a punishing trade agenda
    • Slant: “The current situation is a sharp reversal from the hiring boom of just three years ago… Weighing on the job market are the lingering effects of higher interest rates that were used by the Federal Reserve to fight inflation; President Donald Trump’s massive import taxes and the costs and uncertainty they are imposing on businesses; and an anticipated drop in foreign workers as the president’s massive deportation plans move forward.” 
      • The Center reviewer observed that the article suggested Trump’s policies were primarily to blame for job market struggles.
    • Spin, subjective adjectives, analysis presented as fact: “The deterioration in the job market occurs as companies are paralyzed with uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s erratic trade policies.” 
  • Trump signs order imposing new tariffs on a number of trading partners that go into effect in 7 days
    • “Trump says goods from Mexico imported into the U.S. would continue to face a 20% tariff he has ostensibly linked to fentanyl trafficking.”
      • Slant: The Lean Right reviewer indicated the use of “ostensibly” in describing Trump’s claim about fentanyl-linked tariffs reflected subjective interpretation and conveyed doubt.
  • Trump using Canada's recognition of Palestinian state in trade talks | AP News
    • Slant: “Trump, who has heckled Canada for months and suggested it should become its 51st U.S. state, indicated on Thursday that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s similar recognition would become leverage ahead of a deadline he set in trade talks.” 
      • The Center reviewer said this “strongly implied Trump is hypocritical because he had a different response for the UK and France.”
    • Word choice: The Center reviewer flagged negatively charged terms such as “threat,” “coerce,” and “heckled,” which framed Trump in a negative light.


Associated Press Rated Left in April 2025 Editorial Review

The Associated Press' bias was rated Left (-3.02) on average in an April 2025 Editorial Review.

All panelists in the Center and on the Right rated AP Left; one reviewer on the left who argued AP is firmly Lean Left; the other reviewer on the left put them at barely Lean Left (-2.9). 

Types of bias detected included subjective qualifying adjectives, analysis presented as fact, spin, slant, and bias by viewpoint, with people on the left being quoted more often.

A Lean Right reviewer said AP is "definitely Left on trans issues; they engage in a lot of the hallmarks of modern bias in journalism: “experts say” while only selecting a group that agrees and no dissidents or alternative voices; spin words like “Trump boasted," "incorrectly claiming” embedded fact checking, use of Lean Left word choices, quotes from Republicans are much shorter and less explanation of their side is given."

A Lean Left reviewer stated, "AP has a relatively wide range between their most and least biased content." Another stated, "No stories felt favorable to the right. Many felt favorable to the left. In a couple stories, I did sense an attempt to be balanced by incorporating opinions or information from the right. It wasn’t well done if they wanted to be Center."

Articles reviewed included:

  • Trump made big promises and moved at frenetic speed. 100 days in, here’s what he’s done and not done
    • Panelists found this piece to be biased to the left.
    • Spin: “Trump boasted” 
    • Analysis presented as fact; slant skeptical of his claims: “In addition, it’s unlikely Trump will manage to “pay off all our debt.” His plans for tax cuts would reduce revenue to cover the country’s bills. Besides, he made a similar pledge in 2016, and then the national debt ballooned during his first presidency” 
    • Slant: "The number of people trying to cross illegally into the U.S. from Mexico dropped steeply in President Joe Biden’s last year, from a high of 249,740 in December 2023 to 47,324 in December 2024."
      • A Center reviewer noted, "They elect to focus on the drop under Biden rather than how levels reached several new record highs in his tenure."
    • "He failed to end a war as promised"
      • A Center reviewer noted, "Trump said he’d end it “soon after” took office. Seems subjective to declare that window as passed."
    • “He promised to roll back transgender rights”
      • A Lean Right reviewer said this word choice "assumes it is a right for trans people to participate in sports with their non-biological cohort."
  • Loss of FEMA program spells disaster for hundreds of communities and their projects
    • “Many affected communities are in Republican-dominated, disaster-prone regions. FEMA called the BRIC grants “wasteful” and “politicized” tools, but officials and residents say they were a vital use of government resources to proactively protect lives, infrastructure and economies.” - A Lean Right reviewer said this was "slanted to imply that Republicans vote against their own interests, which is common refrain on the left; doesn’t explain what backs up the view it is wasteful and politicized; does not expand on the Republican view; whole piece is slanted in favor of funding - interviews a Republican but he is in favor of more funding."
  • Kennedy and influencers bash seed oils, baffling nutrition scientists
  • Things to know about how Trump’s policies target transgender people
    • Spin words: “President Donald Trump has targeted transgender and nonbinary people with a series of executive orders since he returned to office. He has done it with strong language. In one executive order, he asserted “medical professionals are maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children under the radical and false claim that adults can change a child’s sex.””
    • Lean Left word choice (read more on the term "gender-affirming care" here): “That’s a dramatic reversal of the policies of former President Joe Biden’s administration — and of major medical organizations — that supported gender-affirming care.”
    • Interviews left-leaning Human Rights Campaign rep
    • Omission of viewpoint/slant — not all medical experts agree: “the idea broadly accepted by medical experts that gender falls along a spectrum.”
    • “information about what Trump calls “gender ideology”” - A Lean Right reviewer noted, "A lot of people, not just Trump, call it that."
    • “Barring schools from helping student social transitioning” - Omission of viewpoint; sets this up as negative but never mentions parental rights or concerns.
  • Trump has vowed to shake some of democracy’s pillars
    • "The mirror reflected not only a restive nation’s discontent but childless cat ladies, false stories of pets devoured by Haitian immigrant neighbors, a sustained emphasis on calling things “weird,” and a sudden bout of Democratic “joy” now crushed. The campaign will be remembered both for profound developments, like the two assassination attempts on Trump, and his curious chatter about golfer Arnold Palmer’s genitalia."
      • "Mentioning the assassination attempts next to more frivolous things, and not mentioning it again in the article, seems imbalanced," a Center reviewer noted. "Overall this article was quite biased to the left — consistently suggests Trump threatens democracy."
  • Trump says he's ending Secret Service protection for Biden's adult children
    • A Lean Left reviewer called this, "Straightforward and neutral in a case where they easily could have gone very sensational."
  • Presidents have used autopens for decades. Now Trump objects to Biden's use of one
    • A Lean Left reviewer noted, "Defensive framing, including the headline and headings — 'why is this suddenly an issue'"

A Lean Right reviewer noted negativity bias and story choice bias against RFK Jr.:

Associated Press Rated Lean Left on Average In Feb. 2025 Editorial Review; Panel Split

The Associated Press was rated Lean Left (-2.83) on average in a Feb. 2025 Editorial Review; however, the panel was split down the middle, with three panelists rating it Left and three rating it Lean Left, and there was much discussion and lack of confidence in the final rating. A consensus could not be reached and the panel opted to review AP again in a few months.

Types of bias detected included subjective qualifying adjectives, analysis presented as fact, spin, slant, and bias by viewpoint, with people on the left being quoted more often.

A Center panelist stated, "AP leaves little room for readers to perceive that anything Trump, Musk, etc. are doing is justified or even up for [positive] interpretation. Mostly negative story choice angles on Trump admin actions; few to none from a positive/support angle."

Another Center panelist stated, "They dont want to explain to you why conservatives think the way they do."

A Lean Right reviewer stated, "They refer to Elon Musk as a “billionaire” on almost every mention, never “Space X CEO” o “X CEO’ or anything — it is slanted toward making you distrust him, because it doesn’t focus on his credentials or what he has achieved."

Story choice bias: At the time of review, a major story being covered elsewhere about Politico receiving government funding (which upset conservatives due to Politico's bias) was not present on AP. AP Fact Check mostly focused on Donald Trump/claims being made on the right, with the left almost never fact checked.

Articles reviewed included but were not limited to:

  • Trump finds new ways to flex presidential power after returning to White House
    • Spin word "flex" in headline
    • Subjective analysis presented as fact: “President Donald Trump is swiftly breaching the traditional boundaries of presidential power as he returns to the White House, bringing to bear a lifetime of bending the limits in courthouses, boardrooms and politics to forge an expansive view of his authority.” 
    • Slant/analysis presented as fact: “He’s already unleashed an unprecedented wave of executive orders, daring anyone to stop him, with actions intended to clamp down on border crossings, limit the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship and keep the popular Chinese-owned TikTok operational despite a law shutting down the social media platform.”
    • Slant against Trump's use of executive orders: “Meanwhile, Trump is drafting a new blueprint for the presidency, one that demonstrates the primacy of blunt force in a democratic system predicated on checks and balances between the branches of government.”
  • What is an executive order? A look at Trump’s tool for quickly reshaping government
    • A Lean Right reviewer noted that while the piece was largely center, the headline was slanted: "I hardly think they would describe Biden as “reshaping government” when he issued executive orders, which are common tools among presidents." "Quickly" is a subjective adjective that adds sensationalism.
  • What is ‘ordo amoris?’ Vice President JD Vance invokes this medieval Catholic concept
    • A Lean Left reviewer felt the use of the term "medieval" was slanted against Vance to make him appear antiqued when modern Catholics ascribe to this view.
  • Judge temporarily blocks Trump plan offering incentives for federal workers to resign
    • Subjective qualifying adjectives/spin: "the latest twist in a chaotic and distressing saga playing out for millions of government employees.”
    • Bias by viewpoint: Quotes more people against than in favor
  • Homepage headline: Elon Musk is fusing government power and social media to reshape American politics → Headline when clicked: Musk uses his X ownership and White House position to push Trump priorities, intimidate detractors 
    • Headline offers subjective interpretation that is negative: "intimidate" and "reshape" are subjective terms
    • Bias by viewpoint: No voices in favor or defending social media as a way to communicate to the populace; quotes author of “How Democracies Die” calling this “unthinkable”
    • “A mouthpiece for Trump’s narratives” - Header implies Musk is just a follower and doesnt think for himself or isnt genuine
    • "In recent days, Musk has used X to promote Trump’s positions to his 215 million followers, attack an agency he’s trying to shut down as “evil” and claim a Treasury employee who resigned under pressure over payment system access committed a crime. His use of the social media platform he owns has become both a cudgel and a megaphone for the Republican administration at a time that his power to shape the electorate’s perspective is only growing, as more Americans turn to social media and influencers to get their news.”
    • Spin word: “Trump earlier this week dismissed concerns about Musk’s conflicts of interest...” 
    • Spin words: “In December, before Trump took office, Musk helped him temporarily sink a government funding deal, whipping up outrage with a torrent of X posts attacking the legislation for what he described as excessive spending."
    • A header in the article is subjective and contains negativity bias: “Intimidation and a lack of transparency”
  • NCAA changes transgender policy to limit women’s competition to athletes assigned female at birth
    • "Assigned female at birth" is Lean Left word choice
    • A Center reviewer stated AP "positions trans athletes as victims and the issue as minor": "Over the past year, however, transgender athletes have been targeted by critics who say their participation in women’s sports is unfair and a potential safety risk. It became a major talking point in Trump’s re-election campaign even though there is believed to be a very small number of transgender athletes; Baker last year said he knew of only 10 transgender athletes in the NCAA."
  • Trump’s Gaza plan shocks the world but finds support in Israel
    • A Lean Left reviewer found this to be Lean Left, noting "emotionalism in headline; roughly half of photos in slideshow show destruction of Gaza"
    • “many of those who expressed openness to the plan said it seemed unfeasible for a multitude of legal and logistical reasons” – does not explicitly describe why
    • Subjective qualifiers: "radical" and "far-right"
    • A Lean Left panelist said, "The writer could have done a better job of hiding the fact that they don’t support the plan."
  • Rejected elsewhere, these LGBTQ Jews find love and acceptance in the Connecticut woods
    • Left story choice; a Lean Left reviewer stated, "There's an assumption that religious establishments are villains and LGBTQ people are fighting the good fight, which appears throughout the article."
  • IRS workers involved in 2025 tax season can’t take buyout until after the taxpayer filing deadline
    • Headline is unbiased; however, does not quote anyone in favor of proposal

Associated Press Rated Lean Left in Dec. 2024 Blind Bias Survey

In a Dec. 2024 Blind Bias Survey, Associated Press was rated Lean Left (-2.03).

Regardless of self-identified political bias or party affiliation, respondents rated Associated Press as Lean Left, on average. This differed from Associated Press' AllSides Media Bias Rating™ of Left at the time.

A total of 761 people across the political spectrum took the survey, including 73 with a Left bias, 192 with a Lean Left bias, 215 with a Center bias, 224 with a Lean Right bias, and 57 with a Right bias. 

Associated Press Bias Rating Moved to Left Following Results of Oct. 2024 Blind Bias Survey, Nov. 2024 Editorial Review

The Associated Press' bias rating was moved from Lean Left (-1.3) to Left (-3.1) following the results of the Oct. 2024 Blind Bias Survey and a Nov. 2024 Editorial Review.

In the survey, 707 Americans rated AP as Left (-3.72). In the Editorial Review, a politically balanced bias review panel rated it Lean Left (-2.67) on average, but ultimately agreed unanimously on a Left rating of Left (-3.1) after taking into account the blind survey results and discussing AP further.

In the blind survey, respondents who rated their own bias as Left, Center, Lean Right, or Right, rated Associated Press as Left, on average; respondents with a Lean Left bias rated Associated Press as Lean Left, on average. Independents and Republicans rated Associated Press as Left. Democrats rated Associated Press as Lean Left. A total of 707 respondents rated the bias.

Editors and bias reviewers look at AP regularly as part of our ongoing media bias audits and work curating our balanced newsfeed. The Editorial Review panel found types of bias in AP including story choice bias, subjective qualifiers, slant, emotionalism, sensationalism, bias by viewpoint. The panel agreed that "AP does not help the reader to understand conservatives and justifies the left perspective more often."

AP showed bias by viewpoint as it regularly quoted representations from left-leaning organizations such as the ACLU and GLAAD over right-leaning organizations. A Center panelist said, "If you read AP, you would never think conservatives have a good idea," and a Lean Left panelist said, "If AP is your only news source, you won't understand conservatives at all."

A piece titled, Food prices worried most voters, but Trump’s plans likely won’t lower their grocery bills was seen as Left because it cast doubt on Trump's policies in the days after the presidential election and tied him to inflation. 

A Lean Right panelist said AP is "downright woke on gender and LGBTQ issues," pointing to pieces such as Trump and Vance make anti-transgender attacks central to their campaign’s closing argument, Trump again decries two gold medalist Olympic athletes, falsely labeling the female boxers as men. The former piece said that Trump used (emphasis ours) "demeaning language and misrepresentations to paint an exceedingly narrow slice of the U.S. population as a threat to national identity," in a case of slant and subjective qualifying adjectives.

Lean Left and Lean Right reviewers saw the piece 1 million migrants in the US rely on temporary protections that Trump could target as containing emotionalism and Lean Left story choice.

A reviewer on the right argued the piece, Many transgender health bills came from a handful of far-right interest groups, AP finds contained misinformation, as it states, “An Associated Press analysis found that often those bills sprang not from grassroots or constituent demand, but from the pens of a handful of conservative interest groups.” The reviewer stated, "Nearly half of Americans want medical treatments for minors banned and to ban gender identity teachings in schools, according to Pew. To make it appear as something that constituents don't support is misinformation." The panelist noted AP uses the term "far-right" generously when describing American conservatives, but never uses the term "far-left" when desccribing American liberals/progressives.

A piece about Tulsi Gabbard being appointed by President Trump to be the next director of national intelligence showed Lean Left slant by first highlighting that Gabbard is the first Hindu elected to Congress — highlighting identity characteristics is of more importance to the left — and mentioning her veteran status, which is important to conservatives, farther down the piece, showing bias by placement; when AP mentioned her veteran status, it employed slant, downplaying her perceived qualifications: "She’s a veteran, but not an intelligence insider," AP's header read.

Some pieces were seen as Center reporting or even appealing to the right, including:


 

List of AllSides Bias Analyses of AP Articles

In addition to AllSides media bias rating methods such as Editorial Reviews and Blind Bias Surveys, AllSides sometimes offers individual analysis of single, high-profile AP stories that display bias, or of controversial newsroom standards. The following are media bias analyses of individual Associated Press articles or standards that showed Lean Left bias:

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Associated Press Rated Lean Left in May 2023 Blind Bias Survey

Associated Press’ AllSides Media Bias Rating™ was confirmed as Lean Left in our May 2023 Blind Bias Survey.

Respondents who rated their own bias as Lean Left, Center, Lean Right or Right rated AP as Lean Left; respondents on the Left rated its bias as Center. The average rating was Lean Left, confirming AllSides' existing media bias rating for AP.

A total of 1,009 people across the political spectrum took the survey, including 102 respondents with a self-reported Left bias; 223 with a Lean Left bias; 309 with a Center bias; 299 with a Lean Right bias, and 76 with a Right bias.

Lean Left Bias Observed in 2021-2022 Media Bias Audits

After conducting several AllSides Media Bias Audits for clients between 2021 and 2022, which involved Editorial Reviews of AP news reports that appeared in AP wire content and concurrently on APnews.com, AllSides reviewers from across the political spectrum noted consistent Lean Left bias in AP news. AP bias was seen largely in articles on immigration, LGBTQ+ issues, the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and the Biden administration and favored left-leaning voices, word choice, and story choice. In our professional Media Bias Audits of clients, AP wire content often pulled the overall bias of the source to the left. 

Coverage of LGBTQ+ issues often omitted right-leaning perspectives. An article about Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, dubbed by opponents as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, was found to be imbalanced, quoting five critics of the bill and only one supporter. Another piece about the same issue included a detailed explanation of the criticism the bill received, but did not include details about support of the bill.

One article, titled Trump turns to endorsements to keep bending GOP to his will, contained left-leaning slant in its explanation of former President Donald Trump’s endorsements. The article did not mention other politicians who utilize endorsements to widen their influence, and the wording of the headline negatively framed Trump. Another article, What does Ivanka Trump know about Jan. 6? Congress is asking, showed analysis stated as fact. The piece contains instances of subjective language and speculation about Ivanka Trump’s relationship with her father. 

While an article covering President Biden’s tax payments stated mostly facts, it omitted concerns that the Biden family earns income elsewhere. By detailing Biden’s tax payments with Trump’s much lower payments, the piece read as favorable to Biden. 

AllSides Editorial Team Clarifies Lean Left Bias Rating of Associated Press, Aug. 2022

From Sept. 2020 to Aug. 2022, AllSides rated AP’s U.S. politics content separately as Lean Left and rated AP’s general and world news content as Center. At the time, we thought two ratings better captured AP’s vast amount of content, which is commonly featured in national and local outlets across the political spectrum via AP’s wire service, and differences between AP's political coverage and coverage of other matters. Reflecting these dual ratings, AP appeared twice on Version 6 of the AllSides Media Bias Chart™ — its politics rating in the Lean Left column, and its general rating in the Center column.

Over time, we discovered people often interpreted our AP ratings differently than we intended. With the AP logo at the top of the center column in our bias chart, people first noticed that, and thought we had rated AP’s U.S. political news content as Center, when in reality, our data clearly indicated a Lean Left bias. 

In addition, AllSides doesn’t typically assess news on non-political stories when choosing a bias rating for news outlets. We thought that AP’s unusually large quantity of news warranted two separate ratings, but we later learned that treating AP differently than other outlets simply confused our audience. 

Therefore, in Aug. 2022, we decided to make a change to more clearly convey our data and bias analysis. The Associated Press now has just one rating: Lean Left. Like other media bias ratings, this rating reflects the bias in AP reports on U.S. political news. Like other outlets with a fact checking department, we continue to rate AP’s Fact Check section separately. See the AllSides Fact Check Bias Chart™.

This clarification and other updates are reflected in Version 7 of the AllSides Media Bias Chart™.

 

AllSides Analysis: AP Repeated False Story About a Capitol Officer's Death

In 2021, an AllSides analysis determined that on Twitter, the Associated Press repeated the false story that Capitol police officer Brian D. Sicknick was beaten to death with fire extinguisher by Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol building on Jan. 6. The story spread rapidly through the press after initially being reported by The New York Times. Some accused media outlets of spreading misinformation. AllSides details the story and charges of misinformation here.

 

Associated Press Rated Lean Left in Sept. 2020 Editorial Review

The Associated Press' U.S. political news and fact check sections were rated separately as Lean Left in a Sept. 2020 analysis by an AllSides expert panel. The types of media bias AP displayed included omission of source attribution, analysis and opinion presented as fact, subjective qualifying adjectives, flawed logic, word choice bias, and elite media bias. Read more here.

AP's political coverage very constantly included subjective analysis in political news coverage, often analyzing or framing the story in a way that couldn’t be objectively inferred from available facts and amounting to interpretation. We found subjective language often employed in ways that cast President Trump, the Republican Party, or conservative/right-leaning values and topics in a negative light. AllSides found numerous AP Politics stories that seemed to favor left-leaning perspectives or standpoints. Over months of thorough reviews, we failed to locate any AP stories that seem to favor right-leaning angles or standpoints.

 

Associated Press Bias Rated on Border of Center, Lean Left in August 2020 AllSides Blind Bias Survey

Our August 2020 Blind Bias Survey of over 2,000 people across the political spectrum found that on average, people rated AP between Center and Lean Left. A plurality of respondents from every political group surveyed found AP News’ content to be Center, with a close second rating to be Lean Left.

On average, people who reported their own personal political bias as being Left, Lean Left, or Center saw AP’s bias as Center but close to the border between Lean Left and Center; people who identified as Lean Right and Right saw AP’s bias as clearly Lean Left. This differs slightly from the results of our February 2020 Blind Bias Survey, in which participants across the spectrum on average rated AP’s media bias as Lean Left (with respondents on the left seeing AP as closer to Center).

At the time, AllSides conducted an Editorial Review of AP, in which we decided to keep AP’s bias rating as Center, but noted that AP’s bias was on the left side of center.

 

August 2020 AllSides Editorial Review: Associated Press’ Bias Is Center — but Some Articles Display Lean Left Bias

An Aug. 2020 Editorial Review found AP's bias to be Center, but with some Lean Left indicators.

An Editorial Review is when an expert panel, which includes an equal number of people from the left, center and right of the political spectrum, reviews the works of a source and comes to a general consensus on its bias. For the most part, the AllSides panel agreed during our Aug. 2020 Editorial Review that while the majority of AP’s articles and story choices remained in the Center — not revealing much bias one way or the other, AP did display the following types of media bias:

  • word choice bias
  • bias by omission of source attribution
  • opinion/analysis statements presented as fact
  • flawed logic
  • elite media bias
  • subjective qualifying adjectives
  • Read more here.

Because AP’s displays of Lean Left bias were infrequent, the panel determined that AP still warranted a Center rating. AllSides looked at AP’s content over six months and found that many days, AP’s homepage and content appeared balanced, with neutral reporting free of spin, sensationalism, or other types of bias; other days, there would be several stories placed highly on the homepage that had a Lean Left bias. AP’s bias seemed to vary article by article, but it was mostly Center, with overt, very frequent bias not being displayed.

 

Types of Media Bias Displayed by AP: Sept. and Aug. 2020 

Word Choice — The panel noticed AP tended to make left-leaning assumptions and chose left-wing terms and phrases in some of its writing — one panelist with a Lean Left bias noted AP used the term “anti-abortion,” not “pro-life,” and was more likely to refer to “protesters,” not “rioters” in coverage of 2020 civil unrest.

These indicators of a Lean Left bias aside, AllSides found AP’s story choice and wording still tended to be balanced overall.

Omission of Source Attribution/Unsubstantiated Claims — AllSides noted numerous instances in which AP failed to source statements and substantiate its claims. AP committed omission of source attribution at times, a type of media bias in which sources are not identified, and unsubstantiated claims, when journalists make claims without including evidence to back them up. However, many of these particular displays of bias by AP didn’t necessarily lean left or right. For example, in an article covering a police reform executive order, AP wrote, “Many officers who wind up involved in fatal incidents have long complaint histories,” without linking to information to back this up. The claim may be true, but balanced reporting cites sources. In an article on a coronavirus vaccine, AP wrote, “scientists in Russia and other countries sounded an alarm, saying that rushing to offer the vaccine before final-stage testing could backfire.” AP did not cite which scientists said this.

Opinion Statements Presented as Fact / Subjective Qualifying Adjectives— One reviewer, who has a Lean Right bias, noted that instead of telling readers facts and letting them make judgement calls for themselves, AP often inserted subjective judgement calls into its writing, and they were almost always subjective characterizations in line with a left-wing view. In an example, AP stated, “Attorney General William Barr is defending the aggressive federal law enforcement response to civil unrest in America.” By characterizing the police response as “aggressive,” AP reveals a bias. Others, mainly those on the right, saw the law enforcement response to riots/protests in major U.S. cities in Summer 2020 as either proportionate, or not aggressive at all.

In another example pointed out by an AllSides panelist with a Center bias, AP ran the headline, “Mayor downplays rough treatment of NYC protesters.” Just like the word “aggressive,” “rough” represents a subjective judgement; an objective report would not characterize the response at all, only describe that there was a response and detail what it entailed. Here, AP displayed use of subjective qualifying adjectives.

In an article titled, “Racist videos bring attention to US House race in Georgia,” AP says the candidate shared “video chats and social posts expressing racist, Islamophobic and anti-Semitic views,” yet AP provided only partial quotes from the videos. Failing to provide full quotes prevents readers from making the judgement themselves. It should be noted that a panelist with a Lean Left bias disagreed with this as being a case of bias, stating that, “We need to be careful with equating calling out racism with being as inherently left. If something is explicitly racist, that is a fact.” A Lean Right reviewer disagreed, noting the left and right define racism very differently — the left tends to say racism can be revealed implicitly, while the right requires more explicit evidence.

In addition, some AllSides panelists noted that AP sometimes blurred the line between news and opinion; it was inconsistent in its labeling of “Analysis” content as distinct from hard news reporting. We noted some analytical content is labeled as hard news. The frequency of this was not too high, but enough to be noticeable. For example, a left-leaning team member pointed out a June piece titled, “Trump’s two Russias confound coherent US policy” is labeled as news, but starts with this subjective analysis: “When it comes to Russia, the Trump administration just can’t seem to make up its mind.” Related: How AllSides Labels Curated Content (News, Opinion, Analysis, Fact Check)

AllSides will keep an eye on AP to determine if it begins to merge opinion and news at a higher frequency.

Flawed Logic – One right-leaning AllSides reviewer noted that AP seemed to have a different standard of evidence when reporting on potential voter fraud versus potential voter suppression. In one article, AP said there is evidence for voter fraud, but that it’s not a rampant problem; in another article, AP said voter suppression is a concern, without giving any evidence that it’s rampant. “They don’t require an equal level of data to make those different statements,” the panelist said. “I give them credit for saying there was a “lack of evidence of widespread voter fraud,” but they don’t treat the two sides equally in terms of demand of data and interpreting how much evidence is sufficient to make the call.”

Elite Media Bias — One panelist who has a Lean Right bias said they saw an “elite media bias” with AP, saying that “the things that people in New York City and Washington, D.C. generally believe is what AP presumes to be true.” AllSides also noted AP Fact Check appeals to elites in our April 2020 Editorial Review.

 

Associated Press Bias Rated Lean Left in Feb. 2020 Blind Bias Survey

Our Feb. 2020 Blind Bias Survey found people on average rated AP as Lean Left.

People with Center, Lean Right and Right political views view AP's content as Lean Left; participants who identified themselves as Left and Lean Left saw AP's content as on the border of Lean Left and Center.

An April 2020 Editorial Review by the AllSides team found AP's slight left lean was not consistent or clear enough to warrant changing its rating to Lean Left — though we had some caveats about this rating, and acknowledged a slight Lean Left bias in some of AP's content. During this time, we also opted to provide a separate bias rating for AP Fact Check. During a Blind Bias Survey, people from all sides of the political spectrum and a diverse array of ages and geographic locations rate the bias of content from a media outlet blindly, meaning all identifying branding and information is removed.

 

Associated Press Bias Rated Center in April 2020 AllSides Editorial Review

During the April 2020 editorial review of AP bias, the AllSides expert panel agreed that AP does not display the common types of media bias — its journalists rarely employ spin or sensationalism, and rarely does AP present opinion statements as fact, which is common in news media today. The AllSides panel generally agreed that AP was somewhat on the border of Lean Left and Center, but determined we did not have enough evidence to shift its rating to Lean Left. AP Fact Check, however, had a Lean Left bias.

For the most part, AP used factual, objective language, and chose stories that would be of interest to those on both the left and the right. Its story choice was not biased in favor of issues that are of concern more to left-wingers or right-wingers. All panelists agreed AP didn't employ bias by photo, and chose images that are neutral in nature.

Coronavirus coverage dominated headlines on the day of our editorial review, and the AllSides panel was in agreement that AP’s coronavirus coverage was balanced and unbiased.

All members of the AllSides editorial reviewers agreed that it was easy to see why some people might say AP News has a Lean Left bias; some sentences and stories appeared to have a slight left lean. The bias was mostly displayed in individual sentences or via slight framing issues; the bias was not overt or glaring.

For example, AP was criticized by readers in July 2020 for a piece about President Trump's July 4th Mount Rushmore speech that displayed a clear left bias.

During our April 2020 review, there was disagreement among some editorial panelists as to whether or not AP displayed bias by viewpoint placement, a type of media bias in which a story only features viewpoints from sources and commentators on one side of the issue or political spectrum. Some reviewers said AP’s sources and quotes are always balanced; others, mainly those on the right, said many AP articles primarily showcase quotes and opinions from left-wing sources.

Examples could be found on both sides: those who said AP sometimes lacked balance in its sourcing pointed to an article describing how Education Secretary Betsy DeVos excluded DACA recipients and foreign students from emergency college grants that were part of a congressional coronavirus rescue package; the article primarily quoted those who are against the rule, providing no perspectives that would explain the reasoning of individuals who are in favor of it. On the other hand, an article about lawmakers debating a new coronavirus aid package included balanced quotes and perspectives from both Democrat and Republican lawmakers.

The panel noted that AP used what may be seen as left-leaning terms to describe controversial issues, if only slightly. For example, an April 23, 2020 article announcing the hiring of 17 new journalists said the journalists would cover topics such as “voting security,” “gun control,” and “voter access.” The panelist pointed out that a different perspective on these issues might lead a right-wing publication to choose slightly different language, such as “gun rights” or “voting rights.”

 

Associated Press Bias Rated on Border of Center and Lean Left in August 2019 Editorial Review

In Aug. 2019, the multipartisan expert panel at AllSides conducted an Editorial Review on the Associated Press. The expert panel concluded that AP's bias hovered on the border of Lean Left and Center. Many AP articles did not show evidence of much bias at all. However, some articles did display a slight Lean Left bias.

The panel found that while AP's articles largely did not display bias, sometimes AP used emotive language in its headlines, and the outlet sometimes provided interpretation in its news articles rather than straight factual reporting. AllSides reviewers who have a Center-Right bias disagreed slightly with editorial panelists who have a Lean Left bias when it came to determining whether or not AP was interpreting information or reporting events factually.

For example, the panel analyzed an article titled, "Biden: Racism in US is institutional, ‘white man’s problem’", in which an AP reporter wrote: "Taking aim at incendiary racial appeals by Trump, Biden said in an interview with a small group of reporters on Tuesday that a president’s words can “appeal to the worst damn instincts of human nature,” just as they can move markets or take a nation into war."

An editorial panelist with a Center-Right bias said AP's use of the term "incendiary racial appeals" was interpretation, not fact, and that objective reporting would require AP to note what Trump said specifically and allow readers to decide for themselves whether or not his remarks are "incendiary"; however, a staffer on the Left disagreed, saying AP's language was a factual and accurate descriptor of Trump's words, and does not represent subjective interpretation. The disagreement over whether or not this amounts to bias harkens back to how those on the left and the right define "racism" differently.

 

Sept. 2018 AP Media Bias Editorial Review: Brett Kavanaugh Coverage Leans Left

In the months leading up to Sept. 2018, AllSides received messages from readers concerned that AP's media bias had shifted Left after President Trump's election. AllSides conducted an editorial review during the last week of Sept. 2018 to address these concerns. However, news about Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination was dominating the news cycle during this time, which impacted our ability to get a comprehensive view of AP's media bias as it stands for a variety of issues. AllSides would continue to assess AP media bias over time.

The AllSides panel agreed that AP's coverage of Kavanaugh's confirmation was Lean Left — perhaps falling somewhere between Lean Left and Center. Some on the panel noted that articles such as, "Kavanaugh-Ford hearing: A dramatic lesson on gender roles" — which criticized Kavanaugh for being defiant and seemed to celebrate Ford for being sympathetic during the hearing — was written with Lean Left slant, subjective qualifying adjectives, analysis presented as fact, and bias by viewpoint placement. Instead of directly quoting Kavanaugh in a neutral way, it issued many subjective characterizations, filtering what happened through the lens of the journalist and quotes by people in favor of Ford. The piece did not provide full quotes nor allow readers to decide for themselves what they think about Kavanaugh's reactions.

Some examples of bias indicators from this article include (emphasis ours):

  • "Kavanaugh aggressively interrupted his interrogators and even asked sharp questions of his own." - subjective qualifying adjectives
  • "He let his anger flare repeatedly, interrupted his questioners and cried several times during his opening statement. She strived to remain calm and polite, despite her nervousness, and mostly held back her tears." - analysis presented as fact, slant
  • "...Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh served as Exhibits A and B for a tutorial on gender roles and stereotypes." - analysis presented as fact - according to who?
  • Quotes numerous people casting Kavanaugh in a negative light, quotes more people in favor of Ford, calling her "persuasive," "calm," "soft-spoken," and giving other positive attributes. Does not include any voices defending Kavanuagh — bias by viewpoint placement/bias by omission

Overall, AP's coverage of the hearing focused more on Kavanaugh's defiance and proclamations that the process had been a "national disgrace," while largely ignoring how Kavanaugh spoke about the impact of the allegations and media coverage on his family.

AllSides found that most of the coverage of Kavanaugh's hearing was Lean Left. However, the rest of AP's coverage appeared to have a Center bias.

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Confidence Level

Confidence is determined by how many reviews have been applied and consistency of data.

As of June 2026, AllSides has medium confidence in our Lean Left rating for Associated Press. An Editorial Review or Blind Bias Survey has affirmed this rating, or multiple reviews have returned differing results. If we perform more bias reviews and gather consistent data, this confidence level will increase.

Additional Information

How Many Americans Trust the Associated Press: 2025 Data

According to Pew Research Center's data on news trust:

  • 31% of Americans say they trust the Associated Press as a source of news
  • 14% of Americans distrust AP
  • 16% of Republicans/Lean Rs trust AP
  • 47% of Democrats/Lean Ds trust AP
  • 26% of Republicans/Lean Rs distrust AP
  • 3% off Democrats/Lean Ds distrust AP

Associated Press Leadership Comments on Media Bias

According to The Daily Beast, a January 2018 email obtained by the outlet showed AP’s Washington bureau chief Julie Pace expressing concerns about reporters’ tweets appearing to suggest political bias against Trump and his administration.

“Everyone in the bureau has an obligation to be even-handed when tweeting about the government and the president,” she wrote. “There are countless readers and political operatives always on the lookout for signs of bias. Your posture on social media is just as important as the stories on the wire. Particularly given the number of sensitive topics this bureau is reporting about these days, I’d ask you all to be extra cautious going forward.”

The company’s VP of standards, John Daniszewski, stated, “AP employees are not allowed to applaud, cheer or mock a politician’s tweet or a public figure’s speech, no matter how moving. Our job is to cover news,” Daniszewski said. “Any expression of opinion that calls into question the AP’s commitment to do its job objectively and fairly undermines the hard-fought credibility of our reporting—both to our sources and to our audience.” The email continued: “Even when tempted to resend a tweet or photo that is witty and amusing, ask, is this tweet expressing a point of view?”

Associated Press Funding and Ties to Left-Wing Groups

AP has received criticism on the left and right for alleged bias; however, in recent years, criticism usually comes from the right.

AP Receives Funding from Organizations on the Left

In Feb. 2025, Wall Street Journal accused Associated Press of left-leaning bias due to its reliance on funding from progressive philanthropic organizations, including the Omidyar Network. According to the WSJ, grants from Omidyar, whose previous media investments include other left and anti-Israel outlets, have supported AP’s coverage of artificial intelligence but also coincided with reporting that was critical of U.S. tech companies’ involvement with Israel. WSJ reports that AP’s broader funding structure includes millions in grants from organizations like the Hewlett Foundation, which has supported policies aligned with the Biden administration. In 2023, AP reported receiving 81 grants totalling $60.9 million.

AP Partnerships with Organizations on the Left

In May 2022, AP received funds via a partnership with The Ida B. Wells Society, which was founded by the creator of the controversial "1619 Project", as well as AP's global investigations editor, Ron Nixon. The Ida B. Wells Society was created with "generous support" from George Soros' Open Society Foundation.

In August 2023, The Daily Wire highlighted a Washington Free Beacon original report headlined, "Associated Press Coverage of Courts, Climate Bankrolled by Dozens of Left-Wing Foundations." The report links to a 2022 press release in which AP announced partnerships.The Free Beacon says AP is "bankrolled in part by millions of dollars from left-wing foundations, including one founded by "1619 Project" author Nikole Hannah-Jones."

The Free Beacon continues, "[AP] last year announced a series of "partnerships" to subsidize reporters covering climate change, race, and democracy. A review of the donor roster shows that the vast majority fund left-wing political causes, while none are supporters of conservative initiatives." The piece notes that AP's global investigations editor, Ron Nixon, sits on the board of The Ida B. Wells Society, founded by Hannah-Jones. 

AP Board Members, Leaders Tied to Left-Wing Leaders, Groups

Julie Pace, AP's Senior Vice President and Executive Editor, wrote a biography for Jill Biden.

AP's Board of Directors also includes Meredith Perez Wadsworth, head of the Knight Foundation, which provided funds to the Global Disinformation Index, which AllSides has found is biased against conservative media outlets.

Accusation of Bias in Coverage of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

In July 2022, Fox News criticized the Associated Press' coverage of the death of Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, saying AP was included in the "latest example of outlets bashing dead conservatives," and noting that the Associated Press "in the past was known for neutral, swift-breaking news." Fox News also said AP's reporting on Democrats' 2022 Inflation Reduction Act was "gleeful" and said the media outlet "celebrated the passage" of the bill.

AP Bias in Transgender Style Guidelines

In July 2022, AP’s transgender style guidelines drew criticism from many media outlets AllSides rated on the right at the time, such as National Review, The Post Millennial, Newsbusters, Spiked, and The Daily Wire. (AllSides also wrote about how the new guidlines showed bias.) 

The National Review's Abigail Anthony said "the [Associated Press] guidance appears to explicitly embrace the language and claims of transgender activists, a move likely to steer newsrooms away from objectively framing the issue," a sentiment echoed by The Daily Wire writer Greg Wilson.

"Does the Associated Press expect journalists to lie?" the Spiked headline inquired, with writer Jo Bartosch stating, "The new AP style guide on trans issues elevates gender ideology over the truth."

"Ironically, the new [AP] ‘Topical Guide’ on transgenderism advises the use of ‘unbiased language’ and to ‘avoid false balance [by] giving a platform to unqualified claims or sources in the guise of balancing a story by including all views’. And yet, the stylebook is itself saturated in unbalanced, unscientific trans ideology," Bartosch wrote.

Accusations of Bias that "Amplifies" Trump

In 2019, Maxwell Tani writing at The Daily Beast said AP's efforts to be unbiased "uncritically amplify" Trump and were "frequently tone-deaf and equivocating posts that often read like a caricature of “both sides” journalism."

Tani also pointed to Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple's commentary on the matter; Tani summarized his views as: "Because the AP is licensed by so many different news organizations across the country, there is a major business incentive for the publication to maintain the appearance of neutrality. However, [Wemple] noted, the rigorously non-ideological model of journalism that has dominated the national media landscape over the past several decades has failed under Trump because it forces outlets into false equivalencies that are neither accurate nor truthful."

Accusations of Bias in AP Coverage of George H. W. Bush's Death

In Dec. 2018, conservatives criticized AP over a tweet about George H.W. Bush's death that read, "George H.W. Bush, a patrician New Englander whose presidency soared with the coalition victory over Iraq in Kuwait, but then plummeted in the throes of a weak economy that led voters to turn him out of office after a single term, has died. He was 94." AP deleted the tweet, writing, "We’ve deleted a tweet and revised a story on the death of President George H.W. Bush because the tweet and the opening of the story referenced his 1992 electoral defeat and omitted his WWII service."

When the Daily Beast reached out to AP "asking why the organization has been forced to delete, correct, or clarify so many tweets," a spokesperson replied, “AP’s news values require accurate, fair and unbiased reporting on every platform. When a mistake is made, we correct it and are transparent about doing so.”

About AP

From AP's About Page:

The AP is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers.

AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, as a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members, it can maintain its single-minded focus on newsgathering and its commitment to the highest standards of objective, accurate journalism.

The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering accurate, insightful news from every corner of the world, 24 hours a day. Since its founding in 1846, AP has been the first to report many of history’s most important moments, and every day, AP journalists, photographers and videographers file news from the front lines of the world's biggest stories. AP’s reporting, photography, audio and video are published and broadcast by the world’s leading newspapers, TV channels, apps, radio stations, websites and magazines—in fact, over half the world’s population sees AP news content on any given day. As a leader in the field of journalism, AP fights for freedom of the press and the public’s right to know. Its reporters take great risks to file in-depth stories from countries where the press is otherwise restrained, and in the U.S., AP aggressively uses the Freedom of Information Act to advocate for transparency and accountability in government. With more experience reporting and delivering news than any other agency, a well-earned reputation for independence and accuracy, and a fierce commitment to the people’s right to know, AP is the definitive source for trusted news.

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Associated Press Ownership and Funding

Funding and ownership do not influence bias ratings. We rate the bias of content only.

Owner: Cooperatively owned

The Associated Press (AP) is a nonprofit news cooperative. The AP is owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States.

The AP receives funding from various philanthropic foundations in addition to its traditional revenue sources. In 2023, AP reported receiving 81 grants totaling $60.9 million. Key funders include the Omidyar Network, which has contributed to AI-related reporting, the Denmark-based KR Foundation, which advocates for a rapid fossil fuel phase-out, and the Hewlett Foundation, which has provided over $2 million to AP while also supporting policies promoted by the Biden administration.

In May 2022, AP received funds via a partnership with The Ida B. Wells Society, which was created with "generous support" from George Soros' Open Society Foundation. The Ida B. Wells Society was founded by in part by AP's global investigations editor, Ron Nixon, and Nikole Hannah-Jones, the creator of the controversial 1619 Project.

Daisy Veerasingham is the CEO of The AP.

Financing and ownership information last updated April 9, 2025. If you think this information is out of date or needs to be updated, please contact us.