How trust is measured
The most cited benchmark comes from Pew Research Center, which since 1958 has asked Americans how often they trust the federal government in Washington to do what is right. Gallup, the American National Election Studies, and other pollsters ask similar questions. Answers are usually grouped into "just about always," "most of the time," "only some of the time," and "never."
The long-term decline
In 1958, about three-quarters of Americans said they trusted the federal government always or most of the time. That share fell during the Vietnam War and Watergate, ticked up in the early 1980s and again briefly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, and has mostly stayed below 30% since the mid-2000s. In recent years, the figure has hovered near or below 20%.
Partisan swings
Trust readings shift with which party holds the White House. Republicans tend to report higher trust when a Republican is president, and Democrats report higher trust under a Democratic president. The gap between the two has grown wider in recent decades, a pattern researchers link to broader political polarization.
Not all government is rated the same
When pollsters break the question apart, results vary widely. The U.S. military, the postal service, and local government often draw majority confidence. Congress consistently rates among the lowest, and ratings for federal agencies fall in between and can swing based on current controversies. Trust in state government typically lands between local and federal levels.
Competing explanations
There is no single agreed-upon cause for the long decline. Some analysts emphasize specific failures — wars, recessions, and scandals — that eroded confidence. Others point to structural factors: a more fragmented media environment, sharper partisan messaging, or rising public expectations of what government should deliver. Some scholars also argue that distrust is a rational response to gridlock, while others say it reflects perceptions shaped more by news framing than by actual performance.
Why it matters
Trust levels can influence whether citizens comply with laws, pay taxes, get vaccinated, or support major policy changes. Low trust can make it harder for officials in either party to build coalitions for big initiatives. At the same time, some observers argue that skepticism of government is a healthy feature of American political culture, dating back to the country's founding debates over federal power.
What to keep in mind when you answer
"The federal government" can mean different things to different people — the president, Congress, the courts, the IRS, the military, or career civil servants. Your answer may depend on which of those you have in mind, on recent events, and on whether the party you favor is currently in power.