PolitiFact editor-in-chief Katie Sanders explained that while the site typically drops a year-end report to “recognize a statement, collection of statements or theme that is worthy of note for a consequential undermining of reality,” the process of singling out just one lie in such an abysmal year for truth seemed insufficient.

“We are stepping back this year and recalibrating the Lie of the Year — focusing less on the offenders who perpetuate the falsehoods, and more on those who are hurt by them,” Sanders wrote in a post to the site.

But PolitiFact opted to instead focus on these three stories:

“We are kind of going back to basics and affirming that facts matter and words matter, and we’re going to show people why. We’re going to show that lies are powerful and they have consequences on real people,” Sanders said.

You can read more on PolitiFact’s approach to naming 2025 the “Year of the Lies” here.