Six in 10 Americans don’t trust what the federal government tells them on major issues

A new poll finds that six out of ten Americans have little to no trust in information provided by the federal government on major issues like elections, politics, foreign affairs, the environment, abortion, and immigration. This skepticism has grown since 2024 and is higher than it was at the end of President Donald Trump's first term, suggesting that Trump's efforts to shrink the federal bureaucracy may have damaged public confidence in the executive branch, especially among Democrats.

Only 34% of U.S. adults have a great deal or quite a bit of confidence in government certifications of election results, down from 40% in 2024. This decline in trust is particularly pronounced among Democrats, with 61% lacking confidence in federal budget information and 60% doubting information about crime. Republicans also show a growing lack of trust, with 60% of Democrats and 32% of Republicans having low trust in federal information about crime.

The partisan divide in trust has widened since former President Joe Biden took office, with Democrats expressing more skepticism than Republicans. Despite this, vaccination recommendations remain a topic with little partisan divide, as about 60% of Democrats, Republicans, and independents distrust the government's guidance on vaccinations.