The Hill

The Hill Rated Center in April 2026 Editorial Review

The Hill was rated Center (-0.66) in an April 2026 Editorial Review by a panel of expert reviewers on the right, center and left. This was the second consecutive review conducted by the panelists after their previous review in March resulted in a category change to Lean Left. 

By weighing this April 2026 result with the March 2026 review result and the Dec. 2025 Blind Bias Survey result, the new overall rating for The Hill moved slightly leftward, from -0.8 to -0.95.

The outlet’s current rating was decidedly more center compared to the previous Lean Left rating assessed in March. However, just like in the previous review, the Lean Right panelists judged the outlet much more to the left compared to the rest of the group.

Coverage during this review period was dominated by the Iran ceasefire, which a Center reviewer saw as a balanced, widely covered topic across the spectrum. The Hill avoided many types of major media bias types, including ad hominem/mudslinging, unsubstantiated claims, elite vs. populist bias and more.

“Sourcing was usually balanced,” one of the Center panelists said. “Minimal reliance on possibly biased experts/analysts – mostly just quoting officials.” 

The Lean Left reviewers agreed: “Almost all of The Hill’s original writing is very fact-based and neutral, except they tend to use sensational verbs to describe criticisms from one politician to another,” one Lean Left panelist said. 

Another Lean Left panelist said the outlet includes a “thorough amount of quotes from both sides in every story” typically from government officials versus “biased experts.” 

“Every article includes deep context that helps provide understanding, which for me is a Center perspective,” the reviewer said.

The Lean Right panelists were more critical of the outlet, with one saying, “On the one hand, The Hill does a fairly good job of covering Capitol Hill, but it primarily features and amplifies voices on the Left.”

“When it does highlight voices on the Right, it’s typically those critical of President Donald Trump. But it flip flops between editorializing and straight news coverage, without labelling such as analysis or opinion,” the reviewer noted. 

Another Lean Right reviewer noted that The Hill appeared more left leaning in its coverage in March and April, especially when compared to the types of stories covered by center and right-leaning outlets, “which are focused on things like taxpayer fraud, Abigail Spanberger approval ratings being low, and things the Trump admin is actually saying, rather than critics of the admin.”

Articles reviewed included:

• Supreme Court rules for Christian counselor in ‘conversion therapy’ ban case
  • A Lean Right reviewer noted the headline was balanced because the outlet put “‘conversion therapy’ in quotes, because not everyone agrees with the term.”
• US, Iran reach tenuous ceasefire deal: 5 takeaways
  • “I appreciate the lack of attempt to rely on imbalanced experts — they are just reporting and quoting, that’s it,” the Center reviewer said.
  • A Lean Left reviewer said it was a “Center story choice” since the Iran war is frontpage news across the political spectrum.
  • A Lean Right reviewer said there was “no sensationalism at least in first 60% of article,” but noted there was some “sensationalism/negative word choice toward the end, a bit of editorializing: ‘Trump offered grave threats and extreme rhetoric in the lead-up to the deal, threatening to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Ages.’”
• DOJ says Bondi won’t sit for Oversight deposition on Epstein files
  • A Lean Left reviewer said this was a “balanced story choice — potentially LL choice due to criticism of Bondi, however, Epstein is such a bipartisan story that this seems relevant across the spectrum.” 
  • Center reviewers said the article’s balance and straightforward reporting. One noted it included “ample quoting of all stakeholders” and found “no spin or sensationalism,” while another said it “quotes Republicans and Democrats pretty equally” and highlighted that the DOJ was contacted for comment, even if it did not respond.
  • A Lean Right reviewer found the article slightly Lean Left overall, primarily due to editorial framing about the facts of the story. The reviewer noted that while Bondi has “upset both conservatives and liberals so in that sense, the angle is Center,” the closing grafs can guide reader perception, particularly in how the Clintons were portrayed: “Comer also threatened a vote to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress… While the former president did travel with Jeffrey Epstein, the former secretary of state said she did not recall ever meeting the deceased sex offender… During her deposition, Hillary Clinton faced questions from GOP members about UFOs and the ‘pizzagate’ conspiracy theory.”
• Influencer Dan Bilzerian files paperwork to challenge Fine in Florida
  • A Lean Right reviewer said the article was biased against Bilzerian through negative framing and word choice, even if not clearly partisan.
  • Center reviewers described the article as mostly neutral and straightforward. One said it was “pretty balanced and neutral language,” noting that claims about Bilzerian’s “history of antisemitism” were supported with a link, allowing readers to evaluate the evidence themselves.
  • A Lean Left reviewer also rated the article near Center, adding that it remained “very fact-based and neutral.”

Additional articles reviewed:

• Graham: Iran ceasefire deal ‘negotiating document’ has some ‘troubling aspects’ 
• Carville: Trump ‘deteriorating at a really rapid rate’ 
• Schumer says Senate will vote on Iran war powers resolution next week
• Megyn Kelly on Trump posts: ‘I am sick of this s‑‑‑’ 
• House Democrat slams ‘TACO’ jokes about Trump’s ceasefire with Iran
• ICE officers shoot man in California immigration stop
• Affordability’ will be ‘growing challenge’ for Republicans in midterms: Marc Short
• Schumer on Trump mail-in voting order: ‘This too will fail’
• Trump: US only country ‘stupid enough’ to allow birthright citizenship
• Conservatives seethe after Johnson backs Senate plan he previously called ‘a joke’
• CNN on Iran government document Trump labeled ‘fake’: ‘It’s authentic’

The Hill Rated Lean Left in March 2026 Editorial Review

The Hill was rated Lean Left (-1.03) on average in a March 2026 Editorial Review by a panel of six expert left, center and right reviewers (two left, two center and two right). Because the Lean Left rating was a shift from the previous Center rating, AllSides scheduled a second Editorial Review to conduct further analysis. 

The Lean Right panelists rated the outlet more to the left than the rest of the group.

Several reviewers identified numerous types of media bias, including spin, slant, subjective qualifying adjectives and bias by omission, particularly omission of viewpoints.

But there was mixed consensus among the reviewers. The Lean Right panelists primarily rated The Hill as Lean Left, due to editorializing in articles labeled as news, along with interpretive language and opinion stated as fact written by the reporter (instead of quoting sources). They also noted repeated use of charged phrasing to describe the Trump administration and Republicans, including terms like “major blow,” “railed,” “tear down,” and “badly exacerbated” in both the headlines and articles.

One Lean Right reviewer wrote that reporters “frequently incorporate interpretive language and predictive editorializing within news articles that aren’t labelled opinion,” and said the outlet often amplified criticism of Trump and GOP policies while offering little coverage critical of Democrats. Another Lean Right panelist said the outlet “would not be considered Center or balanced,” citing story choice bias and omission of opposing viewpoints.

Center and Lean Left reviewers saw it differently. Several described the outlet as largely balanced or only slightly left of center. One Center reviewer said coverage of front page articles was “pretty much dead Center,” noting heavy use of direct quotes and little to none loaded language. Another pointed out that in some court-related coverage involving the Trump administration, “losses” were framed more critically, while coverage of Trump-backed policy wins or legislative advances included multiple perspectives.

A Lean Left reviewer also noted that the tone of coverage may reflect the broader news cycle, arguing that March 2026 was a particularly negative period for “Congressional Republicans and popular conservative figures” who “are in disarray and attacking each other daily,” which may have influenced story selection and framing.

Another Lean Left panelist said, “Overall, I found The Hill to be Center with a slight tick to the left.” The panelist added there were some Lean Right articles featured, which “balanced out the infrequent LL story choices. Overall I think this outlet reflected both depth and balance in its reporting.”

One reviewer pointed out that they examined articles on different days/times of the month, which likely contributed to the variation in findings.

Overall, while some reviewers found The Hill’s reporting to be balanced, others saw a pattern of common media bias types that leaned left – ultimately pushing the outlet into the Lean Left category.

Articles reviewed included: 

• Republicans collide with Trump over no-excuse absentee voting, SAVE Act
  • Viewpoint omission: A Center reviewer noted the article included “lots of critics of the SAVE act … but would have benefitted from more mention of GOP who support the SAVE act in its current form.”
  • A Lean Right reviewer also pointed to viewpoint omission, writing the article “does not include reasons for those that do support it, including much of the public.”
  • Sensationalism / word choice: The Center reviewer noted “slight sensationalism with adjectives: ‘dramatically,’ ‘collision course.’”
  • The Center reviewer described the article as “mostly balanced and factual,” noting it did include context such as the bill having “broad public support.”
• Van Hollen: Trump is ‘lying’ about talks with Iranians
  • A Lean Right and Lean Left reviewer both rated this article as Lean Left.
  • The Lean Left panelist said, “what reason do we have to believe Van Hollen, and what inside information does he have? An entire article based on speculation that is critical of Trump is very LL.” The panelist also noted headline bias, calling it a “sensational and accusatory headline,” but added that “much of the reporting is more balanced than the headline appears.”
  • A Lean Right reviewer identified viewpoint omission and slant to “highlight the Maryland Democrats position claiming Trump is a liar, while not giving any voice to the fact that this is a war, and both sides may be misinforming the public in various ways.”
• Pentagon closes office space for journalists after judge’s ruling on building press policy
  • A Lean Left and Lean Right reviewer disagreed on the bias for this story - with the left reviewer rating it Center and the Right reviewer rating it Lean Left.
  • A Lean Right reviewer detected spin and opinion stated as fact, noting the article “employs a type of spin bias by choosing to highlight reporters' need for an escort, ‘including to and from the bathroom,’ which seems to spin the narrative around the notion that the policy is absurd, and journalists can’t even use the bathroom by themselves.”
  • The Lean Left reviewer said the article used “balanced language” and included “quotes from Pentagon officials and the judge’s ruling to balance both sides of the story.”
• Federal court blocks Kennedy’s vaccine changes, invalidates vaccine advisory panel
  • A Lean Right and Center panelist reviewed this story and detected word choice and slant. 
  • The Lean Right reviewer leaned more clearly Lean Left, while the Center panelist saw at least partial balance.
  • Word choice: The Lean Right panelist wrote that the article “said that Kennedy ‘went on to appoint a slew of known vaccine skeptics and critics to the committee’ - Also is slanted to show that this decision by Kennedy reinforces the ruling by Murphy.”

Other articles included in the review:

• Rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric by GOP sparks uproar on Capitol Hill
• Vance-Rubio rivalry put into sharp contrast by Iran war 0.5
• Trump on ‘taking’ Cuba: ‘I can do anything I want with it’
• Inside Noem’s tense relationship with controversial DHS inspector general
• Senate GOP says Trump signals shift to backing DHS compromise with Democrats
• Trump votes by mail in Florida special election despite push to limit practice
• Fewer people traveled for abortions as telehealth went up: report
• Universities slow hiring, faculty navigate rocky future amid Trump attacks on higher education 
• Trump’s surgeon general pick now says people should get vaccinated for measles 
• Judge rules Trump administration unlawfully refused to request CFPB funding
• Trump raises Democratic attacks by downplaying high fuel prices sparked by Iran war 
• Senate GOP-backed deal to end DHS shutdown draws extensive fire
• Roberts tasked with trying to tame Supreme Court
• 5 things to watch for at this year’s CPAC
• Trump says Iran gave the US ‘a very big present’ related to oil and gas
• USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier leaves Middle East amid Iran fight
• Republicans reject Democrats’ effort to pay TSA by suspending Senate rules
• Pentagon Press Association calls for immediate restoration of members’ credentials after ruling
• Trump administration will reimburse company for fossil fuel investment as it ditches wind

According to our February 2020 and May 2022 AllSides Blind Bias Surveys, our audience agreed with The Hill's Center bias rating, but people on the political right see The Hill as deserving of a Lean Left bias rating. 

• The Hill Rated Lean Left in Dec. 2025 AllSides Blind Bias Survey
• The Hill Rated Center in May 2022 AllSides Blind Bias Survey
• The Hill Rated Center in February 2020 AllSides Blind Bias Survey

The Hill Rated Lean Left in Dec. 2025 AllSides Blind Bias Survey

The Hill was rated Lean Left (-1.15) in a Dec. 2025 AllSides Blind Bias Survey, differing from AllSides' Center rating.

On average, respondents who rated their bias as Lean Right or Right or who identified as Republican rated The Hill Lean Left. Respondents who identified as Left, Lean Left, or Center or identified as Democrats or Independents rated The Hill Center, on average.

The Hill Rated Center in May 2022 AllSides Blind Bias Survey

The Hill was rated Center by people across the political spectrum in a May 2022 AllSides Blind Bias Survey. 

On average, respondents who self-reported being on the left or in the center rated The Hill as Center. Respondents on the right, on average, rated The Hill as Lean Left.

Republicans rated The Hill as Lean Left on average, while Democrats and Independents rated The Hill on the left side of Center.

A total of 924 people from across the political spectrum — people who identified as Left, Lean Left, Center, Lean Right, or Right — rated the bias of The Hill. The weighted average was -0.76, on a scale from -9 to 9. This is in the Center category, and close to Lean Left. The middle 50% of responses lied between -3.13 (Left) and -0.02 (Center).

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 information is removed. Sign up for a Blind Bias Survey here.

The Hill Rated Center in February 2020 AllSides Blind Bias Survey

A February 2020 AllSides Blind Bias Survey found that The Hill maintains a Center bias, though on the border of Lean Left.

During a Blind Bias Survey, people who hail 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.

Our February 2020 Blind Bias Survey showed that participants who rated themselves as Lean Right and Right thought The Hill's content is Lean Left, but not by much. Those who self-identified as being in the Center perceived The Hill's content as being on the border line of Center and Lean Left. Those who describe themselves as Left see The Hill's content as Center; those who describe themselves as Lean Left see the content as between Lean Left and Center.

The overall average response of all groups indicates The Hill's content is on the border line between Lean Left and Center. After assessing the results of this survey, AllSides determined Center remains the best bias rating for The Hill.

AllSides found The Hill published editorials that have a strong left bias or a right bias, therefore making for a balanced editorial page.

Sign up for a Blind Bias Survey here.

How Many Americans Trust The Hill: 2025 Data

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

• 8% of Americans say they trust The Hill as a source of news
• 7% of Americans distrust The Hill

Among political groups:

• 5% of Republicans/Lean Rs trust The Hill
• 11% of Democrats/Lean Ds trust The Hill
• 10% of Republicans/Lean Rs distrust The Hill
• 5% of Democrats/Lean Ds distrust The Hill

About The Hill

According to The Hill's website, "since 1994, The Hill has reported on the intersection of politics and business, connecting Capitol Hill, K Street, Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue for non-partisan coverage of all factors in legislative decisions. It offers objective and in-depth coverage of Congress, the Administration, business and lobbying, campaigns and more.

"The Hill has a print circulation of above 24,000 and is read by opinion leaders, including 100% of Congressional offices, the White House, political pundits, association executives, lobbyists and corporate leaders."

The Hill says it provides non-partisan coverage of all factors in legislative decisions.

According to Wikipedia, "The paper was founded in 1994 by Democratic power broker and New York businessman Jerry Finkelstein and Martin Tolchin, a former correspondent for The New York Times. The paper is owned by the founder's son James A. Finkelstein, who serves as its chairman."

In August 2021, Nexstar Media Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXST), announced that it acquired The Hill for $130 million (plus working capital adjustments).

The Hill was previously owned by the Capitol Hill publishing corporation. Capitol Hill Publishing Corporation is a subsidiary of News Communications Incorporated. 

Financing and ownership information last updated August 31, 2023. If you think this information is out of date or needs to be updated, please contact us.