Public Trust in Government: 1958-2025

Just 17% of Americans now say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right “just about always” (2%) or “most of the time” (15%).

While trust in government has been low for decades, the current measure is one of the lowest in the nearly seven decades since the question was first asked by the National Election Study, and it is lower than it was last year (22%).

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Public trust in government near historic lows

% who say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right just about always/most of the time

Note: From 1976-February 2025, the smoothed trend line represents a three-survey moving average. Data prior to 1976, and the most recent number (September 2025), are from individual polls.
Sources: Pew Research Center, National Election Studies, Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, and CNN surveys.

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Public trust in government near historic lows

% who say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right just about always/most of the time

Date		Individual polls	Smoothed trend
9/28/2025	Pew Research Center	17	17
2/9/2025	Pew Research Center	17	19
5/19/2024	Pew Research Center	22	18
6/11/2023	Pew Research Center	16	19
5/01/2022	Pew Research Center	20	20
4/11/2021	Pew Research Center	24	21
8/2/2020	Pew Research Center	20	24
4/12/2020	Pew Research Center	27	21
3/25/2019	Pew Research Center	17	17
12/04/2017	Pew Research Center	18	18
4/11/2017	Pew Research Center	20	19
10/04/2015	Pew Research Center	19	18
7/20/2014	CNN	14	19
2/26/2014	Pew Research Center	24	18
11/15/2013	CBS/NYT	17	20
10/13/2013	Pew Research Center	19	19
5/31/2013	CBS/NYT	20	20
2/06/2013	CBS/NYT	20	22
1/13/2013	Pew Research Center	26	23
10/31/2012	NES	22	19
10/19/2011	CBS/NYT	10	17
10/04/2011	Pew Research Center	20	15
9/23/2011	CNN	15	18
8/21/2011	Pew Research Center	19	21
2/28/2011	Pew Research Center	29	23
10/21/2010	CBS/NYT	22	23
10/01/2010	CBS/NYT	18	21
9/06/2010	Pew Research Center	24	23
9/01/2010	CNN	25	23
4/05/2010	CBS/NYT	20	23
4/05/2010	Pew Research Center	25	22
3/21/2010	Pew Research Center	22	24
2/12/2010	CNN	26	22
2/05/2010	CBS/NYT	19	21
1/10/2010	GALLUP	19	20
12/20/2009	CNN	20	21
8/31/2009	CBS/NYT	24	22
6/12/2009	CBS/NYT	20	23
12/21/2008	CNN	26	25
10/15/2008	NES	31	24
10/13/2008	CBS/NYT	17	24
7/09/2007	CBS/NYT	24	24
1/09/2007	Pew Research Center	31	28
10/08/2006	CBS/NYT	29	29
9/15/2006	CBS/NYT	28	30
2/05/2006	Pew Research Center	34	31
1/20/2006	CBS/NYT	32	33
1/06/2006	GALLUP	32	32
12/02/2005	CBS/NYT	32	32
9/11/2005	Pew Research Center	31	31
9/09/2005	CBS/NYT	29	30
6/19/2005	GALLUP	30	35
10/15/2004	NES	46	39
7/15/2004	CBS/NYT	40	41
3/21/2004	Pew Research Center	36	38
10/26/2003	GALLUP	37	36
7/27/2003	CBS/NYT	36	43
10/15/2002	NES	55	46
9/04/2002	GALLUP	46	46
9/02/2002	CBS/NYT	38	40
7/13/2002	CBS/NYT	38	40
6/17/2002	GALLUP	44	43
1/24/2002	CBS/NYT	46	46
12/07/2001	CBS/NYT	48	49
10/25/2001	CBS/NYT	55	54
10/06/2001	GALLUP	60	49
1/17/2001	CBS/NYT	31	44
10/31/2000	CBS/NYT	40	38
10/15/2000	NES	44	42
7/09/2000	GALLUP	42	39
4/02/2000	ABC/POST	31	38
2/14/2000	Pew Research Center	40	34
10/03/1999	CBS/NYT	30	36
9/14/1999	CBS/NYT	38	33
5/16/1999	Pew Research Center	31	33
2/21/1999	Pew Research Center	31	31
2/12/1999	ABC/POST	32	32
2/04/1999	GALLUP	33	34
1/10/1999	CBS/NYT	37	34
1/03/1999	CBS/NYT	33	37
12/01/1998	NES	40	33
11/15/1998	Pew Research Center	26	30
11/01/1998	CBS/NYT	24	26
10/26/1998	CBS/NYT	26	28
8/10/1998	ABC/POST	34	31
2/22/1998	Pew Research Center	34	35
2/01/1998	GALLUP	39	33
1/25/1998	CBS/NYT	26	32
1/19/1998	ABC/POST	31	32
10/31/1997	Pew Research Center	39	31
8/27/1997	ABC/POST	22	31
6/01/1997	GALLUP	32	26
1/14/1997	CBS/NYT	23	27
11/02/1996	CBS/NYT	25	27
10/15/1996	NES	33	28
5/12/1996	GALLUP	27	31
5/06/1996	ABC/POST	34	29
11/19/1995	ABC/POST	25	27
8/07/1995	GALLUP	22	22
8/05/1995	CBS/NYT	20	21
3/19/1995	ABC/POST	22	20
2/22/1995	CBS/NYT	18	21
12/01/1994	NES	22	21
10/29/1994	CBS/NYT	22	22
10/23/1994	ABC/POST	22	20
6/06/1994	GALLUP	17	19
1/30/1994	GALLUP	19	20
1/20/1994	ABC/POST	24	22
3/24/1993	GALLUP	22	25
1/17/1993	ABC/POST	28	25
1/14/1993	CBS/NYT	24	25
10/23/1992	CBS/NYT	22	25
10/15/1992	NES	29	25
6/08/1992	GALLUP	23	29
10/20/1991	ABC/POST	35	35
3/06/1991	CBS/NYT	47	42
3/01/1991	ABC/POST	45	46
1/27/1991	ABC/POST	46	40
12/01/1990	NES	28	33
10/28/1990	CBS/NYT	25	32
9/06/1990	ABC/POST	42	35
1/16/1990	ABC/POST	38	38
6/29/1989	CBS/NYT	35	39
1/15/1989	CBS/NYT	44	41
11/10/1988	CBS/NYT	44	43
10/15/1988	NES	41	41
1/23/1988	ABC/POST	39	40
10/18/1987	CBS/NYT	41	43
6/01/1987	ABC/POST	47	43
3/01/1987	CBS/NYT	42	44
1/21/1987	CBS/NYT	43	43
1/19/1987	ABC/POST	44	42
12/01/1986	NES	39	44
11/30/1986	CBS/NYT	49	43
9/09/1986	ABC/POST	40	44
1/19/1986	CBS/NYT	42	44
11/06/1985	CBS/NYT	49	43
7/29/1985	ABC/POST	38	42
3/21/1985	ABC/POST	37	40
2/27/1985	CBS/NYT	46	42
2/22/1985	ABC/POST	43	45
11/14/1984	CBS/NYT	46	44
10/15/1984	NES	44	41
12/01/1982	NES	33	39
11/07/1980	CBS/NYT	39	32
10/15/1980	NES	25	30
3/12/1980	CBS/NYT	26	27
11/03/1979	CBS/NYT	30	28
12/01/1978	NES	29	31
10/23/1977	CBS/NYT	33	32
4/25/1977	CBS/NYT	35	34
10/15/1976	NES	33	36
9/05/1976	CBS/NYT	40	35
6/15/1976	CBS/NYT	33	35
3/01/1976	GALLUP	33	34
2/08/1976	CBS/NYT	36	35
12/01/1974	NES	36	36
10/15/1972	NES	53	53
12/01/1970	NES	54	54
10/15/1968	NES	62	62
12/01/1966	NES	65	65
10/15/1964	NES	77	77
12/01/1958	NES	73	73

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Note: From 1976-February 2025, the smoothed trend line represents a three-survey moving average. Data prior to 1976, and the most recent number (September 2025), are from individual polls.
Sources: Pew Research Center, National Election Studies, Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, and CNN surveys.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

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ChartDataShare

A timeline of trust in the federal government:

1958: 73% of Americans trusted the federal government to do the right thing almost always or most of the time – when the National Election Study first asked the question.

The 1960s and 1970s: Trust in government began eroding amid the escalation of the Vietnam War. The decline continued in the 1970s with the Watergate scandal and worsening economic struggles. By 1980, only about a quarter of Americans expressed a high level of trust.

The 1980s and 1990s: Confidence in government recovered in the mid-1980s before falling again in the mid-’90s. But as the economy grew in the late 1990s, trust in government also rose.

The 2000s and 9/11: Public trust reached a three-decade high shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks but declined again quickly in the wake of the Iraq War and the financial crisis of the late 2000s.

2007 to present: The shares saying they can trust the government always or most of the time have never been higher than 30% since 2007.

Note: The September 2025 survey was conducted just prior to the federal government shutdown that ran from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12.

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Trust in government higher among members of party that controls presidency

% who say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right just about always/most of the time

Sources: Pew Research Center, National Election Studies, Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, and CNN surveys.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

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Trust in government higher among members of party that controls presidency

% who say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right just about always/most of the time

Date		Democrat/Lean Dem	Republican/Lean Rep
9/28/2025	Pew Research Center	9	26
2/9/2025	Pew Research Center	15	20
5/19/2024	Pew Research Center	35	11
6/11/2023	Pew Research Center	25	8
5/1/2022	Pew Research Center	29	9
4/11/2021	Pew Research Center	36	9
8/2/2020	Pew Research Center	12	28
4/12/2020	Pew Research Center	18	36
3/25/2019	Pew Research Center	14	21
12/04/2017	Pew Research Center	15	22
4/11/2017	Pew Research Center	15	28
10/04/2015	Pew Research Center	26	11
7/20/2014	CNN	17	11
2/26/2014	Pew Research Center	32	16
11/15/2013	CBS/NYT	31	8
10/13/2013	Pew Research Center	27	10
5/31/2013	CBS/NYT	30	8
2/06/2013	CBS/NYT	34	8
1/13/2013	Pew Research Center	37	15
10/31/2012	NES	29	16
10/19/2011	CBS/NYT	13	8
10/04/2011	Pew Research Center	27	12
9/23/2011	CNN	20	11
8/21/2011	Pew Research Center	25	13
3/01/2011	Pew Research Center	34	24
10/21/2010	CBS/NYT	36	7
10/01/2010	CBS/NYT	27	13
9/06/2010	Pew Research Center	35	13
9/01/2010	CNN	31	18
4/05/2010	CBS/NYT	27	14
3/21/2010	Pew Research Center	32	13
2/12/2010	CNN	34	18
2/05/2010	CBS/NYT	31	9
1/10/2010	GALLUP	23	16
12/20/2009	CNN	25	16
8/31/2009	CBS/NYT	34	12
6/12/2009	CBS/NYT	35	10
12/21/2008	CNN	30	22
10/15/2008	NES	34	31
10/13/2008	CBS/NYT	12	19
7/09/2007	CBS/NYT	18	31
1/09/2007	Pew Research Center	22	43
10/08/2006	CBS/NYT	20	50
9/15/2006	CBS/NYT	20	44
2/05/2006	Pew Research Center	20	53
1/20/2006	CBS/NYT	23	51
1/06/2006	GALLUP	20	44
12/02/2005	CBS/NYT	19	52
9/11/2005	Pew Research Center	19	49
9/09/2005	CBS/NYT	21	42
6/19/2005	GALLUP	24	36
10/15/2004	NES	35	61
3/21/2004	Pew Research Center	24	55
10/26/2003	GALLUP	35	42
7/27/2003	CBS/NYT	25	51
10/15/2002	NES	52	63
9/04/2002	GALLUP	38	55
9/02/2002	CBS/NYT	32	52
7/13/2002	CBS/NYT	34	45
6/17/2002	GALLUP	33	55
1/24/2002	CBS/NYT	39	56
12/07/2001	CBS/NYT	39	60
10/25/2001	CBS/NYT	47	70
10/06/2001	GALLUP	52	68
1/17/2001	CBS/NYT	26	38
10/15/2000	NES	48	43
7/09/2000	GALLUP	42	41
4/02/2000	ABC/POST	38	24
2/14/2000	Pew Research Center	46	37
10/03/1999	CBS/NYT	31	27
9/14/1999	CBS/NYT	42	35
5/16/1999	Pew Research Center	36	30
2/21/1999	Pew Research Center	35	25
2/12/1999	ABC/POST	41	21
2/04/1999	GALLUP	38	29
1/10/1999	CBS/NYT	42	33
1/03/1999	CBS/NYT	37	29
12/01/1998	NES	45	35
11/19/1998	Pew Research Center	31	23
11/01/1998	CBS/NYT	28	22
10/26/1998	CBS/NYT	28	25
8/10/1998	ABC/POST	40	30
2/22/1998	Pew Research Center	42	28
2/01/1998	GALLUP	52	26
1/25/1998	CBS/NYT	31	22
10/31/1997	Pew Research Center	46	32
6/01/1997	GALLUP	39	25
1/14/1997	CBS/NYT	29	20
11/02/1996	CBS/NYT	31	20
10/15/1996	NES	40	27
5/12/1996	GALLUP	32	20
5/06/1996	ABC/POST	41	35
11/19/1995	ABC/POST	27	26
8/07/1995	GALLUP	24	21
8/05/1995	CBS/NYT	20	20
3/19/1995	ABC/POST	27	20
2/22/1995	CBS/NYT	18	19
12/01/1994	NES	26	18
10/29/1994	CBS/NYT	26	19
10/23/1994	ABC/POST	27	16
6/06/1994	GALLUP	23	11
1/30/1994	GALLUP	25	14
1/20/1994	ABC/POST	30	18
3/24/1993	GALLUP	32	11
1/17/1993	ABC/POST	32	25
1/14/1993	CBS/NYT	26	21
10/23/1992	CBS/NYT	17	31
10/15/1992	NES	31	34
6/08/1992	GALLUP	17	31
10/20/1991	ABC/POST	31	41
3/06/1991	CBS/NYT	40	56
3/01/1991	ABC/POST	41	52
12/01/1990	NES	26	32
10/28/1990	CBS/NYT	21	31
9/06/1990	ABC/POST	37	48
1/16/1990	ABC/POST	32	46
6/29/1989	CBS/NYT	27	45
1/15/1989	CBS/NYT	37	54
11/10/1988	CBS/NYT	36	58
10/15/1988	NES	35	51
1/23/1988	ABC/POST	31	51
10/18/1987	CBS/NYT	36	47
6/01/1987	ABC/POST	38	59
3/01/1987	CBS/NYT	34	54
1/21/1987	CBS/NYT	36	51
1/19/1987	ABC/POST	39	51
12/01/1986	NES	31	53
11/30/1986	CBS/NYT	37	63
9/09/1986	ABC/POST	30	51
1/19/1986	CBS/NYT	36	51
11/06/1985	CBS/NYT	42	59
7/29/1985	ABC/POST	30	48
3/21/1985	ABC/POST	29	49
2/22/1985	ABC/POST	30	62
11/14/1984	CBS/NYT	36	59
10/15/1984	NES	41	50
12/01/1982	NES	32	41
11/07/1980	CBS/NYT	40	42
10/15/1980	NES	31	23
3/12/1980	CBS/NYT	30	22
11/03/1979	CBS/NYT	32	28
12/01/1978	NES	33	26
10/23/1977	CBS/NYT	40	25
4/25/1977	CBS/NYT	37	34
10/15/1976	NES	30	42
9/05/1976	CBS/NYT	38	45
6/15/1976	CBS/NYT	36	36
3/01/1976	GALLUP	31	40
12/01/1974	NES	36	38
10/15/1972	NES	48	62
12/01/1970	NES	52	61
10/15/1968	NES	66	60
12/01/1966	NES	71	54
10/15/1964	NES	80	73
12/01/1958	NES	71	79

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Sources: Pew Research Center, National Election Studies, Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, and CNN surveys.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

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ChartDataShare

Democrats’ trust in the government has never been lower: Just 9% now say they trust the federal government just about always or most of the time.

Today 26% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say they trust the federal government – on par with GOP views during the first Trump administration.

A year ago, during the Biden administration, only 11% of Republicans reported trusting the federal government just about always or most of the time. Democratic trust was higher (35%).

Since the 1970s, trust in government has been consistently higher among members of the party that controls the White House than among the opposition party.

Over the last two changes in administration, Republican and Democratic shifts in trust in government have been largely the inverse of one another.

This is somewhat different than in previous periods. In the past, Republicans tended to be more reactive than Democrats to changes in political leadership, expressing much lower levels of trust during Democratic presidencies than Democrats did during GOP presidencies.

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Trust in government by party and ideology

% who say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right just about always/most of the time

Sources: Pew Research Center, National Election Studies, Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, and CNN surveys.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

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Trust in government by party and ideology

% who say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right just about always/most of the time

Date		Liberal Dem/Lean Dem	Cons-Moderate Dem/Lean Dem	Moderate-Lib Rep/Lean Rep	Conservative Rep/Lean Rep
9/28/2025	Pew Research Center	5	14	25	26
2/9/2025	Pew Research Center	14	15	21	19
5/19/2024	Pew Research Center	33	36	17	7
6/11/2023	Pew Research Center	23	27	14	4
5/1/2022	Pew Research Center	26	32	13	7
4/11/2021	Pew Research Center	31	40	16	5
8/2/2020	Pew Research Center	8	16	31	27
4/12/2020	Pew Research Center	12	22	37	37
3/25/2019	Pew Research Center	13	15	21	20
12/04/2017	Pew Research Center	15	16	26	20
4/11/2017	Pew Research Center	15	16	32	26
10/04/2015	Pew Research Center	28	25	14	9
7/20/2014	CNN	19	16	15	7
2/26/2014	Pew Research Center	31	33	21	13
11/15/2013	CBS/NYT	38	25	13	5
10/13/2013	Pew Research Center	25	27	16	7
5/31/2013	CBS/NYT	30	30	16	4
2/06/2013	CBS/NYT	35	34	9	7
1/13/2013	Pew Research Center	34	37	17	14
10/31/2012	NES	26	32	18	15
10/19/2011	CBS/NYT	9	13	11	7
10/04/2011	Pew Research Center	30	25	14	9
9/23/2011	CNN	30	16	11	11
8/21/2011	Pew Research Center	26	24	18	10
3/01/2011	Pew Research Center	36	33	32	18
10/21/2010	CBS/NYT	37	35	12	4
10/01/2010	CBS/NYT	34	22	10	16
9/06/2010	Pew Research Center	39	31	19	10
9/01/2010	CNN	36	30	28	11
4/05/2010	CBS/NYT	37	21	23	7
3/21/2010	Pew Research Center	36	31	19	11
2/12/2010	CNN	36	34	25	9
2/05/2010	CBS/NYT	31	32	13	7
1/10/2010	GALLUP	29	22	20	12
12/20/2009	CNN	31	23	18	13
8/31/2009	CBS/NYT	38	30	14	10
6/12/2009	CBS/NYT	42	34	13	8
12/21/2008	CNN	36	28	28	17
10/15/2008	NES	37	34	48	28
10/13/2008	CBS/NYT	16	12	26	12
7/09/2007	CBS/NYT	14	21	38	28
1/09/2007	Pew Research Center	15	25	41	45
10/08/2006	CBS/NYT	14	22	50	51
9/15/2006	CBS/NYT	11	23	44	44
2/05/2006	Pew Research Center	13	23	52	54
1/20/2006	CBS/NYT	27	21	52	50
1/06/2006	GALLUP	10	26	33	56
12/02/2005	CBS/NYT	16	21	60	47
9/11/2005	Pew Research Center	13	22	39	54
9/09/2005	CBS/NYT	12	26	46	41
6/19/2005	GALLUP	25	24	31	41
10/15/2004	NES	24	39	63	59
3/21/2004	Pew Research Center	23	24	53	56
10/26/2003	GALLUP	23	39	31	52
7/27/2003	CBS/NYT	21	27	55	47
10/15/2002	NES	53	56	66	61
9/04/2002	GALLUP	31	40	50	60
9/02/2002	CBS/NYT	32	32	55	53
7/13/2002	CBS/NYT	37	33	50	42
6/17/2002	GALLUP	30	36	59	55
1/24/2002	CBS/NYT	38	39	58	54
12/07/2001	CBS/NYT	34	43	61	58
10/06/2001	GALLUP	46	55	66	69
1/17/2001	CBS/NYT	33	24	41	33
10/15/2000	NES	58	52	54	44
7/09/2000	GALLUP	41	42	50	35
4/02/2000	ABC/POST	38	39	28	20
10/03/1999	CBS/NYT	26	33	29	24
9/14/1999	CBS/NYT	38	45	42	27
2/12/1999	ABC/POST	40	43	26	16
2/04/1999	GALLUP	36	40	33	27
1/10/1999	CBS/NYT	39	44	40	28
1/03/1999	CBS/NYT	34	39	31	26
12/01/1998	NES	45	46	39	34
11/01/1998	CBS/NYT	28	28	23	22
10/26/1998	CBS/NYT	30	28	22	26
8/10/1998	ABC/POST	38	35	24	27
2/01/1998	GALLUP	55	52	33	23
1/25/1998	CBS/NYT	24	31	24	19
6/01/1997	GALLUP	41	38	31	21
1/14/1997	CBS/NYT	30	28	25	14
11/02/1996	CBS/NYT	30	32	21	19
10/15/1996	NES	38	39	30	25
5/12/1996	GALLUP	25	35	25	18
5/06/1996	ABC/POST	41	41	39	33
11/19/1995	ABC/POST	26	27	26	28
8/07/1995	GALLUP	16	27	17	25
8/05/1995	CBS/NYT	21	19	19	23
3/19/1995	ABC/POST	24	28	22	17
2/22/1995	CBS/NYT	20	18	22	17
12/01/1994	NES	22	28	21	16
10/29/1994	CBS/NYT	26	27	23	15
10/23/1994	ABC/POST	32	25	22	11
6/06/1994	GALLUP	16	26	15	9
1/30/1994	GALLUP	20	27	18	12
1/20/1994	ABC/POST	26	31	25	10
1/17/1993	ABC/POST	30	33	28	22
1/14/1993	CBS/NYT	17	30	20	20
10/23/1992	CBS/NYT	20	15	30	32
10/15/1992	NES	26	33	37	31
6/08/1992	GALLUP	13	19	31	30
10/20/1991	ABC/POST	25	33	42	39
3/06/1991	CBS/NYT	46	39	57	56
3/01/1991	ABC/POST	39	41	54	50
12/01/1990	NES	27	26	31	33
9/06/1990	ABC/POST	34	39	49	45
1/16/1990	ABC/POST	28	34	50	39
6/29/1989	CBS/NYT	27	27	38	55
1/15/1989	CBS/NYT	33	38	56	54
11/10/1988	CBS/NYT	24	40	65	52
10/15/1988	NES	34	35	52	51
1/23/1988	ABC/POST	30	31	54	49
10/18/1987	CBS/NYT	34	37	47	49
6/01/1987	ABC/POST	34	41	60	55
1/21/1987	CBS/NYT	34	37	54	48
1/19/1987	ABC/POST	37	38	52	51
12/01/1986	NES	25	36	53	53
9/09/1986	ABC/POST	25	34	55	44
1/19/1986	CBS/NYT	34	38	51	52
11/06/1985	CBS/NYT	42	43	60	56
7/29/1985	ABC/POST	26	33	53	41
3/21/1985	ABC/POST	27	29	52	48
2/22/1985	ABC/POST	28	33	62	63
10/15/1984	NES	34	47	52	46
12/01/1982	NES	29	35	48	38
11/07/1980	CBS/NYT	38	42	44	41
10/15/1980	NES	34	28	28	18
3/12/1980	CBS/NYT	31	29	25	18
11/03/1979	CBS/NYT	34	31	28	26
12/01/1978	NES	38	33	24	24
10/23/1977	CBS/NYT	41	41	32	16
4/25/1977	CBS/NYT	41	38	33	36
10/15/1976	NES	27	34	49	41
9/05/1976	CBS/NYT	33	42	45	45
6/15/1976	CBS/NYT	35	35	39	34
12/01/1974	NES	36	40	39	40
10/15/1972	NES	44	53	62	66

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Sources: Pew Research Center, National Election Studies, Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, and CNN surveys.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

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Roughly similar shares of White (16%), Black (14%), Hispanic (20%) and Asian (22%) adults say they trust the federal government “most of the time” or “just about always.”

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Trust in government by race and ethnicity

% who say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right just about always/most of the time

* Estimates for Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: White, Black and Asian adults include only those who report being one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanics are of any race.
Sources: Pew Research Center, National Election Studies, Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, and CNN surveys.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

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Trust in government by race and ethnicity

% who say they trust the government in Washington to do what is right just about always/most of the time

Date		Hispanic	Black	White	Asian*
9/28/2025	Pew Research Center	20	14	16	22
2/9/2025	Pew Research Center	17	11	17	27
5/19/2024	Pew Research Center	30	27	19	36
6/11/2023	Pew Research Center	23	21	13	23
5/1/2022	Pew Research Center	29	24	16	37
4/11/2021	Pew Research Center	36	37	18	29
8/2/2020	Pew Research Center	28	15	18	27
4/12/2020	Pew Research Center	29	27	26
3/25/2019	Pew Research Center	28	9	17
12/04/2017	Pew Research Center	23	15	17
4/11/2017	Pew Research Center	24	13	20
10/04/2015	Pew Research Center	28	23	15
7/20/2014	CNN			9
2/26/2014	Pew Research Center	33	26	22
11/15/2013	CBS/NYT			12
10/13/2013	Pew Research Center	21	24	17
5/31/2013	CBS/NYT			15
2/06/2013	CBS/NYT		39	15
1/13/2013	Pew Research Center	44	38	20
10/31/2012	NES	38	38	16
10/19/2011	CBS/NYT	15	15	8
10/04/2011	Pew Research Center	29	25	17
9/23/2011	CNN			10
8/21/2011	Pew Research Center	28	35	15
3/01/2011	Pew Research Center	28	25	30
10/21/2010	CBS/NYT		40	15
10/01/2010	CBS/NYT			17
9/06/2010	Pew Research Center	37	37	20
9/01/2010	CNN			21
4/05/2010	CBS/NYT			18
3/21/2010	Pew Research Center	26	37	20
2/12/2010	CNN			22
2/05/2010	CBS/NYT			16
1/10/2010	GALLUP			16
12/20/2009	CNN		21	18
8/31/2009	CBS/NYT			21
6/12/2009	CBS/NYT			16
12/21/2008	CNN			22
10/15/2008	NES	34	28	30
10/13/2008	CBS/NYT			18
7/09/2007	CBS/NYT		11	25
1/09/2007	Pew Research Center	35	20	32
10/08/2006	CBS/NYT			31
9/15/2006	CBS/NYT			31
2/05/2006	Pew Research Center		26	36
1/20/2006	CBS/NYT		19	34
1/06/2006	GALLUP			33
12/02/2005	CBS/NYT			35
9/11/2005	Pew Research Center		12	32
9/09/2005	CBS/NYT		12	29
6/19/2005	GALLUP			32
10/15/2004	NES		34	50
3/21/2004	Pew Research Center		17	41
10/26/2003	GALLUP			39
7/27/2003	CBS/NYT		19	37
10/15/2002	NES		41	58
9/04/2002	GALLUP			46
9/02/2002	CBS/NYT			39
7/13/2002	CBS/NYT			39
6/17/2002	GALLUP			48
1/24/2002	CBS/NYT			48
12/07/2001	CBS/NYT			51
10/25/2001	CBS/NYT			60
10/06/2001	GALLUP			61
1/17/2001	CBS/NYT			33
10/15/2000	NES		32	46
7/09/2000	GALLUP			41
4/02/2000	ABC/POST			28
2/14/2000	Pew Research Center		36	40
10/03/1999	CBS/NYT			28
9/14/1999	CBS/NYT		30	39
5/16/1999	Pew Research Center		28	31
2/21/1999	Pew Research Center		32	31
2/12/1999	ABC/POST			32
2/04/1999	GALLUP			33
1/10/1999	CBS/NYT		37	35
1/03/1999	CBS/NYT		39	31
12/01/1998	NES	57	36	38
11/19/1998	Pew Research Center		27	26
11/01/1998	CBS/NYT		29	22
10/26/1998	CBS/NYT		26	25
8/10/1998	ABC/POST			33
2/22/1998	Pew Research Center		42	33
2/01/1998	GALLUP			36
1/25/1998	CBS/NYT			25
10/31/1997	Pew Research Center		39	38
6/01/1997	GALLUP		31	32
1/14/1997	CBS/NYT		15	24
11/02/1996	CBS/NYT	31	30	24
10/15/1996	NES		35	32
5/12/1996	GALLUP			24
5/06/1996	ABC/POST			34
11/19/1995	ABC/POST			26
8/07/1995	GALLUP			22
8/05/1995	CBS/NYT		24	19
3/19/1995	ABC/POST		27	21
2/22/1995	CBS/NYT		20	17
12/01/1994	NES		22	20
10/29/1994	CBS/NYT		16	22
10/23/1994	ABC/POST			21
6/06/1994	GALLUP			15
1/30/1994	GALLUP			17
1/20/1994	ABC/POST		34	21
3/24/1993	GALLUP			20
1/17/1993	ABC/POST		45	25
1/14/1993	CBS/NYT		22	24
10/23/1992	CBS/NYT		21	23
10/15/1992	NES	37	27	28
6/08/1992	GALLUP			23
10/20/1991	ABC/POST		29	36
3/06/1991	CBS/NYT		30	49
3/01/1991	ABC/POST		35	46
12/01/1990	NES	39	22	27
10/28/1990	CBS/NYT		26	25
9/06/1990	ABC/POST		39	43
1/16/1990	ABC/POST		35	38
6/29/1989	CBS/NYT		26	36
1/15/1989	CBS/NYT		33	46
11/10/1988	CBS/NYT		33	45
10/15/1988	NES		25	43
1/23/1988	ABC/POST		29	41
10/18/1987	CBS/NYT		32	41
6/01/1987	ABC/POST		34	49
3/01/1987	CBS/NYT		20	45
1/21/1987	CBS/NYT		27	46
1/19/1987	ABC/POST		31	47
12/01/1986	NES		21	42
11/30/1986	CBS/NYT		23	52
9/09/1986	ABC/POST		26	42
1/19/1986	CBS/NYT		22	45
11/06/1985	CBS/NYT		34	52
7/29/1985	ABC/POST		22	40
3/21/1985	ABC/POST		29	40
2/22/1985	ABC/POST		24	46
10/15/1984	NES		33	46
12/01/1982	NES		26	34
11/07/1980	CBS/NYT		30	40
10/15/1980	NES		26	25
3/12/1980	CBS/NYT		35	24
11/03/1979	CBS/NYT		36	29
12/01/1978	NES		29	29
10/23/1977	CBS/NYT		28	34
4/25/1977	CBS/NYT		34	35
10/15/1976	NES		22	35
6/15/1976	CBS/NYT		35	34
3/01/1976	GALLUP		23	34
12/01/1974	NES		19	38
10/15/1972	NES		32	56
12/01/1970	NES		40	55
10/15/1968	NES		62	61
12/01/1966	NES		65	65
10/15/1964	NES		77	77
12/01/1958	NES		62	74

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* Estimates for Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.
Note: White, Black and Asian adults include only those who report being one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanics are of any race.
Sources: Pew Research Center, National Election Studies, Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, and CNN surveys.

PEW RESEARCH CENTER

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ChartDataShare

Note: For full question wording, refer to the topline. White, Black and Asian American adults include those who report being one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanics are of any race. Estimates for Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.

Sources: Pew Research Center, National Election Studies, Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times and CNN surveys. Data from 2020 and later comes from Pew Research Center’s online American Trends Panel; prior data is from telephone surveys. Details about changes in survey mode can be found in this 2020 report. Read more about the Center’s polling methodology. For analysis by party and race/ethnicity, selected datasets were obtained from searches of the iPOLL Databank provided by the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research.