Perceptions of federal government corruption have reached a record high, according to a new Gallup poll, with skepticism cutting across traditional party lines and increasing year-on-year.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The vast majority of Americans believe that corruption is widespread in the United States government, according to a new poll. 📺 DETAIL: According to a new Gallup poll, 89 percent of Americans believe that corruption is widespread in the US government, constituting a 30-year high. This represents a continuous increase from 2016 and 2006, when such perceptions already stood at 76 percent and 59 percent, respectively. Since 2010, the percentage of Americans who believe that government corruption is widespread has remained above 70 percent. The recent figure also represents a 10-point increase since 2025. This cuts across party lines, with 91 percent of Democrats, 90 percent of Independents, and 83 percent of Republicans sharing the perception. However, Democrats’ views on corruption tend to shift depending on which party is in power. In contrast, Republicans show a more consistent skepticism regardless of which party is in power. “Democrats’ perceptions appear closely linked to which party controls the administration. Republicans’ greater consistency on this measure — despite the 2024 election delivering them the White House and Congress — suggests a more underlying view of government corruption that depends less on the party in power,” wrote Gallup. In 2024, only 57 percent of Democrats believed that corruption was widespread in the U.S. government. The poll also found that 71 percent of Americans believe that corruption is widespread in businesses, nearly 20 points lower than perceptions of government corruption. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “Perceptions of government corruption are now higher in the U.S. than at any point in the past two decades and outpace most other countries, including advanced economies. While perceptions of corruption in business are also elevated, government corruption is seen as significantly more widespread,” Gallup concluded. 🎯 IMPACT: The U.S. now leads Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member nations in perceived government corruption. Colombia ranked second, at 79 percent. This growing distrust in government is likely to drive support for radical, populist, and outsider candidates. The widespread perception of U.S. government corruption explains why President Donald J. Trump has made tackling waste, fraud, and abuse a central priority of his administration. |
Americans’ perceptions of government corruption in the U.S. are at their highest level in 20 years, with 89% of U.S. adults saying it is widespread.
That figure is up 10 percentage points from last year and well above readings in the 72% to 79% range between 2010 and 2025. pic.twitter.com/829dxi4TVm
— Gallup (@Gallup) September 2, 2026
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