A Marquette Law School Poll finds most Americans are somewhat skeptical of trusting the government when it comes to doing the “right” thing.
Those who said they don’t trust the government also lack confidence in other U.S. institutions.
The Marquette Law School Poll national survey finds that 18% of American adults say they trust the federal government to do what is right all or most of the time, and 19% say they can never trust the government. The remaining 63% trust the government only some of the time.
The Marquette Law survey was conducted June 9-15, 2026, interviewing 1,514 adults nationwide.
“The percentage trusting the government all or most of the time has averaged 20.5% across 30 Marquette national polls beginning in 2021. The average saying that they never trust the government is 17.4%, and the average for only some of the time is 62%,” Marquette said in a statement. “The substantial skepticism shown in the results has been a common feature of public opinion since at least 2012, when the Marquette Law School Poll began.”
