What does "cut the malarkey" mean?

The phrase cut the malarkey means stop the nonsense, stop lying, stop the foolish talk, or get to the point without exaggeration or deception. It is an informal American idiom used to tell someone to stop saying things that are untrue, exaggerated, or wasting time. For example, if someone is making excuses, you might say cut the malarkey and tell me what really happened, meaning stop the nonsense and be honest. Malarkey itself means nonsense, bunk, or foolish talk, so cut the malarkey is similar to cut the crap but less vulgar and more playful. The phrase is often used in a mildly scolding but not highly offensive way, suitable for workplace, politics, and family settings. It can also mean stop the mischief or stop fooling around, depending on context. The expression became widely known through American English in the mid-20th century and was popularized recently by President Joe Biden who frequently says cut the malarkey in speeches to call for honesty. It is related to other phrases like cut the baloney, cut the bunk, or cut the bull. The tone is generally direct and no-nonsense, telling someone to drop pretenses. So when someone says cut the malarkey, they are demanding straightforward truth without embellishment, excuses, or deceptive talk.