Signal Public trust in government down to 27%, research shows

Summary

The Partnership for Public Service's 2026 research finds that 27% of Americans trust the federal government, down six percentage points from 2025. Trust in federal civil servants is higher at 44%, with 61% agreeing they are committed to helping people like them and 65% calling them competent. Some 72% agree the government is corrupt, up from 67%, and 75% say it is wasteful, up from 61%. Only 37% agree the government has a positive impact on the country, down from 42%, and 57% believe it is accountable. Positive personal experiences with the federal government were reported by 49%, down from 51%, and negative ones by 38%. Senior research manager Paul Hitlin called it a small decrease but said the larger trend, with only about a quarter of the public trusting government, is a real concern.