Pew: 16% trust federal gov't

Summary

Pew Research Center's long-running survey tracking American public trust in the federal government, showing it has fallen to historically low levels—only 16% of Americans say they trust the government in Washington to do the right thing always or most of the time as of 2024. The data spans over six decades, contextualizing current distrust within broader political and social trends. This collapse in institutional trust has significant implications for collective action, governance effectiveness, and democratic legitimacy.

Key Points

• •Only 16% of Americans trust the federal government to do the right thing 'always' or 'most of the time' as of 2024, near historic lows.
• •Public trust peaked around 75% in the late 1950s–early 1960s and has declined sharply over six decades.
• •Partisan polarization strongly shapes trust levels, with in-party supporters consistently trusting government more than out-party supporters.
• •Low institutional trust undermines the social contract needed for coordinated responses to large-scale challenges, including AI governance.
• •The dataset provides a unique longitudinal record useful for studying epistemic erosion and legitimacy crises in democratic institutions.