Americans' Trust in Washington Falls to New Low as Economic Anxiety and War Fallout Weigh on Voters

Public confidence in the federal government has fallen to its lowest level in more than two decades, according to a new Fox News poll, underscoring growing frustration among voters as economic concerns and lingering fallout from the conflict with Iran continue to dominate public sentiment.
The survey, released Wednesday, found that just 25 percent of registered voters say they generally trust the federal government, while 74 percent say they do not. One percent were unsure. The result marks a significant decline from the 32 percent recorded during the previous two summer surveys conducted before the final months of the Biden administration and after the opening months of President Donald Trump's second term.
The findings suggest a deepening disconnect between Washington and the American public. Trust in government has remained stuck in the low-to-mid 30 percent range since 2013, according to Fox News polling. The previous low point came in June 2023, when trust fell to 31 percent.
Looking back further, the numbers paint a stark picture of a long-term erosion of faith in federal institutions. Fox News polling showed that more than half of voters trusted the federal government in 2002 during the presidency of George W. Bush. Since the second Obama administration, however, trust has failed to rise above 40 percent.
At the same time, distrust has steadily climbed.
Today, nearly three-quarters of voters say they generally do not trust the federal government. The skepticism spans political affiliations, though the intensity varies by group.
Democrats posted the highest level of distrust in the survey, with 83 percent saying they do not trust the federal government. That figure represents a notable increase from last year, when 73 percent expressed the same view.
Among Republicans, roughly two-thirds reported distrust while about one-third said they trusted the government. Independents were even more skeptical, with eight in ten saying they do not trust Washington. Only 18 percent of Independents said they trust the federal government, unchanged from a year ago.
The polling also presents challenges for the Trump administration as voters continue to grapple with economic uncertainty. According to the survey, more than half of voters hold a pessimistic view of the economy and believe the president's economic policies benefit wealthier Americans more than people like themselves.
Only 12 percent of respondents said they feel they are getting ahead financially. In contrast, 44 percent reported feeling as though they are falling behind, while 43 percent said they are merely holding steady.
Economic concerns have been amplified by the disruption associated with the war involving Iran, a conflict that weighed heavily on markets and energy prices before a recent agreement between Washington and Tehran.
President Trump has repeatedly argued that economic relief would follow once tensions in the Middle East eased. Speaking to reporters in France on Wednesday, Trump said the agreement helped the United States avoid what he described as a potential economic "catastrophe."
"I didn't want to see economic catastrophe. If you kept this going, that could have happened," Trump said, according to Reuters.
Markets responded positively to news of the agreement. Stocks rebounded and crude oil prices declined after the deal was announced, including provisions that led to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor.
The Fox News poll surveyed 1,002 registered voters between June 12 and June 15 and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.