State of the Union 2026: Where Americans stand on key issues facing the nation
Ahead of the State of the Union, here’s a look at U.S. public opinion on key policy issues, drawn from recent Pew Research Center surveys.
Health Care
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Health Care
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What the data says about Affordable Care Act health insurance exchanges
Only about 6.9% of the total U.S. population buys health insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchanges.
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Most Americans say government has a responsibility to ensure health care coverage
Most Americans (66%) say the federal government has a responsibility to make sure all Americans have health care coverage.
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Americans’ Views on Who Influences Health Policy and Which Health Issues To Prioritize
About seven-in-ten Americans say insurance companies have too much health policy influence, but partisans disagree on the CDC’s role.
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9 facts about Americans and marijuana
Around nine-in-ten U.S. adults say marijuana should be legal either for medical or recreational use. Just 12% say the drug should not be legal at all.
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From weight-loss drugs to raw milk, Americans hear more often about some health topics than others
About half of U.S. adults (53%) say they hear or read about Ozempic, Wegovy and similar drugs being used for weight loss extremely or very often.
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More Americans disapprove than approve of the job Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is doing as U.S. health secretary
Around seven-in-ten Democrats (72%) disapprove of the job Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is doing, compared with 14% of Republicans.
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Americans Continue to View Several Economic Issues as Top National Problems
At the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, Americans see a host of economic issues, including inflation, as top problems facing the country.
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4 facts about Americans’ views of the World Health Organization
Nearly six-in-ten Americans (58%) say the U.S. benefits from its membership in the World Health Organization.
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Americans’ Views of Government’s Role: Persistent Divisions and Areas of Agreement
Most Biden supporters favor a bigger government with a strong social safety net. Trump backers generally take the opposing view.
