Ted Cruz picks a fight with Wikipedia, accusing platform of left-wing bias
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has accused Wikipedia of harboring a systemic liberal bias, sending a formal letter to the Wikimedia Foundation to demand answers. In his letter to Wikimedia Foundation CEO Maryana Iskander, dated October 3, Cruz alleged that the collaborative encyclopedia has strayed from its original mission of providing free, verifiable knowledge. “Wikipedia began with a noble concept,” he wrote, “but reports of its systemic bias are deeply troubling.” Citing research from the conservative Manhattan Institute, Cruz claimed that Wikipedia articles often reflect a left-leaning perspective, pointing specifically to its “reliable sources” list, which labels MSNBC and CNN as generally trustworthy while rating Fox News as unreliable. He also criticized the site for blacklisting conservative outlets like the Heritage Foundation while approving liberal ones such as the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Cruz demanded documents detailing how the Wikimedia Foundation or the Wikipedia community determines the reliability of sources. Wikipedia’s public guidelines state that these ratings are determined through open discussion and consensus, with Fox News’ downgrade in 2020 linked to its coverage of COVID-19, climate change, and “no-go zones” in British cities. Cruz went further, accusing the foundation of financially supporting left-wing organizations that shape content and allowing editors to promote antisemitic narratives while minimizing the activities of groups like Hamas. Wikipedia banned eight editors earlier this year following internal disputes over editing on Israeli–Palestinian topics. Though Cruz acknowledged this action, he questioned the foundation’s motives and the extent of its editorial intervention.
The Wikimedia Foundation confirmed receipt of Cruz’s letter and defended its practices, emphasizing that Wikipedia operates under strong community oversight and transparency. “Wikipedia seeks to inform, not persuade,” the organization said in a statement. “Nearly 260,000 volunteers have created over 65 million articles in 300 languages, supported by rigorous policies, editorial standards, and user privacy protections.”
Cruz’s letter comes just weeks after he criticized FCC Chairman Brendan Carr for threatening ABC over political content on Jimmy Kimmel Live, warning that government interference in media speech could “end up bad for conservatives.” However, Cruz appeared unbothered by using his own authority to pressure Wikipedia, citing his role as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees communications and online platforms. He requested written responses and documents from Wikimedia by October 17, 2025.
The letter is part of Cruz’s broader investigation into what he alleges is government-facilitated censorship. He recently released a report accusing the Biden administration of turning the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) into a tool for pressuring tech companies to police speech. Cruz’s inquiry into Wikipedia, he suggested, may uncover evidence related to that larger investigation, requesting all communications between Wikimedia and any U.S. government officials since January 1, 2020.