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Staff writer

Caleb McCullough contributed articles to PolitiFact about 2024 U.S. Senate races, presidential politics and online misinformation. Previously, he was the Des Moines Bureau Chief for Lee Enterprises, covering government and politics in Iowa. Caleb graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism and political science. He was the executive editor of the student newspaper, the Daily Iowan, where he contributed to writing fact checks for PolitiFact Iowa.

Featured Statements

Facebook posts
stated on February 19, 2025 in a Facebook post:

“Stacey Abrams stole $2 BILLION from taxpayers.”

By Caleb McCullough • February 26, 2025
Pete Buttigieg
stated on February 18, 2025 in an X post:

“I am not making this up: Republicans have introduced legislation … to increase your bank fees."

By Caleb McCullough • February 26, 2025
X posts
stated on February 16, 2025 in an X post:

The federal workforce grew from 2.1 to 3 million under President Joe Biden, “a 46% increase since Biden took office.”

By Caleb McCullough • February 18, 2025
TikTok posts
stated on February 11, 2025 in a TikTok post:

Under the SAVE Act, “if you are a woman that has changed your name from your birth certificate, let’s say through marriage … you are no longer eligible to vote.”

By Caleb McCullough • February 17, 2025
Donald Trump
stated on February 10, 2025 in a Fox News interview:

The United States is “last in education out of 40 states … but we're number one in cost per pupil."

By Caleb McCullough • February 13, 2025
Instagram posts
stated on February 2, 2025 in an Instagram post:

Ring is “alerting people about (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids.”

By Caleb McCullough • February 10, 2025
Facebook posts
stated on February 2, 2025 in a Facebook post:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “just threw the whole Ukraine money laundering operation under the bus … by stating he’s received less than half of the over $177 billion in aid sent by the United States.”

By Caleb McCullough • February 5, 2025
Donald Trump
stated on January 30, 2025 in a press briefing:

“I changed the Obama policy (on hiring air traffic controllers) ... And then Biden came in and he changed it.”

By Caleb McCullough • January 31, 2025
Karoline Leavitt
stated on January 28, 2025 in a press conference:

“DOGE and OMB also found that there was about to be $50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza.”

By Caleb McCullough • January 30, 2025
Facebook posts
stated on January 22, 2025 in a Facebook post:

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to replace the IRS with the External Revenue Service, eliminating tax returns and income tax.

By Caleb McCullough • January 27, 2025

Ask PolitiFact: Who can get the measles and is the vaccine safe?

By Caleb McCullough • February 28, 2025
DOGE touts billions in canceled government contracts. Where are the numbers coming from?

By Caleb McCullough • February 21, 2025
Claims about Politico, ‘DEI musical’ and USAID spending distort the facts

By Caleb McCullough • February 7, 2025
Images comparing Democrats with Musk’s inauguration hand gesture don’t tell whole story

By Caleb McCullough • January 28, 2025
Orden ejecutiva de Trump de medicamentos recetados no anuló todos los ahorros respaldados por Biden

By Marta Campabadal Graus • January 24, 2025
Fact-check: Los Angeles fires fuel falsehoods, including by Trump, about water management

By Jeff Cercone • January 10, 2025
'Transgender monkeys'? Musk highlights misleading posts in push for new Government Efficiency group

By Caleb McCullough • November 18, 2024
In Context: Tom Homan’s comments that ‘families can be deported together’

By Caleb McCullough • November 14, 2024
Congress could try barring Trump from office under 14th Amendment, but it likely won’t

By Caleb McCullough • November 7, 2024
5 ways Senate candidates in toss-up races tried to mislead voters, fact-checked

By Caleb McCullough • October 31, 2024

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