A fact checker hangs up his Pinocchios

NPR

Published August 1, 2025 at 9:36 AM EDT

For 14 years, the Washington Post's Fact Checker evaluated political claims truthfulness on a four Pinocchio scale.

"In an era where false claims are the norm, it's much easier to ignore the fact-checkers." Those are the final words of the final column of Glenn Kessler, who has been The Fact Checker at the Washington Post these last 14 years.

Kessler is one of many journalists making high-profile exits from the Post some of whom cite the new direction the paper's leadership is taking.

In an interview, Kessler reflects on the arc of the project, why he's leaving, and the value of fact checkers — even if politicians ignore them.

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