Rising Distrust in U.S. Government Information Across Key Issues, Poll Reveals
New poll shows growing skepticism of federal government information on elections, environment, and more. Trust levels at historic lows.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, United States — A recent survey highlights a significant rise in public skepticism toward federal government information, with majorities expressing little or no confidence in official communications on critical issues such as elections, foreign policy, and the environment.
The findings from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USA Facts reveal that mistrust has increased since 2024, surpassing levels seen during the end of President Donald Trump’s first term. This shift is linked to his efforts to restructure the federal bureaucracy, which have contributed to declining public confidence, especially among Democrats.
Trust in election results has also declined, with only 34% of U.S. adults expressing strong confidence in government certifications, down from 40% in 2024. The politicization of the certification process, following Trump’s 2020 loss, has fueled concerns about the integrity of upcoming midterm elections.
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Partisan divides in trust have widened, with 61% of Democrats now having low trust in federal budget information compared to 42% of Republicans. Meanwhile, 60% of Democrats express low trust in crime-related data, versus just 32% of Republicans. Despite Trump’s return to power, Republican confidence in election certifications has not significantly improved, with only 29% expressing high trust.
Public skepticism extends to political campaigns, with less than 10% of Americans believing party messages are consistently factual. Many attribute the erosion of trust to actions taken by the current administration, including repeated claims of voter fraud and changes to long-standing policies.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
