Global Courant
Trust in US institutions such as the FBI, Supreme Court and Congress has steadily declined since 2017 and is now reaching an all-time low. More broadly, less than a third of voters trust the federal government — a 20-year low.
That’s according to the latest Fox News survey of registered voters released Wednesday.
Six years ago, record numbers trusted the FBI (80%) and the Supreme Court (83%), and more than half trusted Congress (53%). Since then, confidence has not only been falling, but has reached new lows: the FBI is down to 59%, the Supreme Court 48% and Congress 34%.
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Six years ago, record numbers trusted the FBI (80%) and the Supreme Court (83%), and more than half trusted Congress (53%). Since then, confidence has not only been falling, but has reached new lows: the FBI is down to 59%, the Supreme Court 48% and Congress 34%.
For the FBI, the decline comes from Republicans (-48 points since 2017) and Independents (-18). Confidence among Democrats is up 3 points.
The same goes for declining confidence in Congress, which is down 32 points among Republicans and 28 points among independents since 2017. The Democrats are only 3 points down.
The Supreme Court has taken the biggest hit, falling below 50% for the first time since its original question in 2014, when 69% were confident. This erosion is occurring across the political spectrum, with the Supreme Court losing 48 points among Democrats, 21 among Republicans and 37 among independents since 2017.
“Trust in major institutions has been declining for a decade or more, but the loss of trust in the Supreme Court is striking,” said Democratic pollster Chris Anderson, who co-directs the Fox News Poll with Republican Daron Shaw. “With less than half of Americans trusting the courts, and Democrats half as likely as Republicans to feel so, there is a clear perception that the country lacks a non-political arbiter of the nation’s laws.”
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For the first time, the poll asks about confidence in the Ministry of Justice and opinions are divided: 51% have confidence, 49% do not.
For the first time, the poll asks about confidence in the Ministry of Justice and opinions are divided: 51% have confidence, 49% do not.
Most Democrats (73%) trust the DOJ, while the majority of Republicans (67%) and independents (60%) do not.
Voter reaction has been mixed when it comes to former President Trump and President Biden’s handling of classified material, along with federal charges against Trump and Biden’s son Hunter. Many see politics playing a role in the accusations, but also suspect abuses.
On June 8, Trump was indicted on 37 federal charges, including unlawful retention of defense information. More than half of voters (54%) believe he jeopardized our national security through the way he handled classified documents post-presidency (42% say no).
More than half of voters (54%) think Trump put our national security at risk because of his post-presidency handling of classified documents (42% say no).
Fifty-six percent think Trump did something illegal, while 27% think he was careless but did nothing illegal, and 16% think he did nothing wrong. When it comes to President Biden’s handling of classified documents, 37% say he did something illegal, 41% careless but not illegal, and 19% nothing wrong.
Biden’s numbers have remained relatively stable since January, while more voters now think Trump did something illegal (56% versus 51% in January). That increase comes from Democrats (+6) and independents (+8).
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Meanwhile, Hunter Biden accepted a plea for tax and gun charges on June 21 and will formally go before a judge in July to reach an agreement.
Voters are nearly 8 times more likely to think the DOJ treatment of the president’s son is not harsh enough (55%) than too harsh (7%). A third thinks they have been treated fairly (34%). Voters are divided on the Justice Department’s treatment of Trump: 36% not harsh enough, 38% too harsh, and 23% fair.
Voters are nearly 8 times more likely to think the DOJ treatment of the president’s son is not harsh enough (55%) than too harsh (7%).
“Voters tend to think that public figures are probably guilty of something when such claims come up,” says Shaw. “But they are equally suspicious of those doing the research.”
For both Biden and Trump, 55% believe the DOJ’s actions are motivated by partisan politics, including majorities of Republicans and independents. More than half of Democrats think the DOJ plays it right on both counts.
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For both Biden and Trump, 55% believe the DOJ’s actions are motivated by partisan politics, including majorities of Republicans and independents.
A record high of 66% do not trust the federal government, up from 60% in May 2021. At the first question in June 2002, it was only 36%. At the time, however, America was still rallying behind former President George W. Bush in the aftermath of September 11.
A record high of 66% do not trust the federal government, up from 60% in May 2021.
Most Republicans (86%) and independents (75%) don’t trust Washington, while just over half of Democrats do (54% trust, 43% distrust).
Compared to 2002, distrust among Democrats has increased by 2 percentage points, among Independents by 38 points and among Republicans by 57 points.
CLICK HERE TOP LINE AND CROSS TABLES.
Conducted June 23-26, 2023, under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey features interviews with 1,005 registered voters nationwide, randomly selected from a voter base that live interviewers spoke on landlines and mobile phones. The total sample has a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
