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How much of the time do you think you can trust the government in Washington to do what is right: just about always, most of the time, or only some of the time? (Wording varies slightly across pollsters; Pew reports the combined share answering just about always or most of the time.)
Trust in the federal government to do what is right · Asked in 163 waves, 1958–2025 · published toplines
Published combined share only. Pollsters' wordings and modes differ; NES points here use Pew's published figures, which keep don't know in the base.
Shares of people who gave an answer.
| Poll | Field dates | Mode | Respondents | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pew Research Center poll, September 2025 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2025-09-28 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, February 2025 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2025-02-09 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, May 2024 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2024-05-19 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, June 2023 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2023-06-11 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, May 2022 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2022-05-01 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, April 2021 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2021-04-11 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, August 2020 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2020-08-02 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, April 2020 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2020-04-12 |
Published toplines are shown as released; see the source page for attribution.
Shares of people who gave an answer. Groups with an effective sample under 50 in a wave are left out of that wave.
| Group | Just about always/most of the time | n | MoE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All respondents † | Too few respondents | – | – | |
| White † | Too few respondents | – | – | |
| Black † | Too few respondents | – | – | |
| Hispanic † | Too few respondents | – | – | |
| Asian † | Too few respondents | – | – |
Pew Research Center poll, September 2025 (via Pew's trust compilation) · US adults. Shares of people who gave an answer. n is unweighted; ± is the 95% margin of error at 50% from the weighted effective sample. Groups with an effective sample under 50 are grayed; under 20, hidden.
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| Pew Research Center poll, March 2019 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2019-03-25 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, December 2017 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2017-12-04 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, April 2017 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2017-04-11 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, October 2015 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2015-10-04 | – | – | – |
| CNN poll, July 2014 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2014-07-20 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, February 2014 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2014-02-26 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, November 2013 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2013-11-15 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, October 2013 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2013-10-13 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, May 2013 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2013-05-31 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, February 2013 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2013-02-06 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, January 2013 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2013-01-13 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 2012 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2012-10-31 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 2011 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2011-10-19 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, October 2011 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2011-10-04 | – | – | – |
| CNN poll, September 2011 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2011-09-23 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, August 2011 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2011-08-21 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, February 2011 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2011-02-28 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 2010 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2010-10-21 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 2010 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2010-10-01 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, September 2010 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2010-09-06 | – | – | – |
| CNN poll, September 2010 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2010-09-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, April 2010 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2010-04-05 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, April 2010 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2010-04-05 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, March 2010 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2010-03-21 | – | – | – |
| CNN poll, February 2010 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2010-02-12 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, February 2010 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2010-02-05 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, January 2010 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2010-01-10 | – | – | – |
| CNN poll, December 2009 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2009-12-20 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, August 2009 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2009-08-31 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, June 2009 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2009-06-12 | – | – | – |
| CNN poll, December 2008 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2008-12-21 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 2008 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2008-10-15 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 2008 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2008-10-13 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, July 2007 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2007-07-09 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, January 2007 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2007-01-09 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 2006 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2006-10-08 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, September 2006 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2006-09-15 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, February 2006 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2006-02-05 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, January 2006 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2006-01-20 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, January 2006 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2006-01-06 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, December 2005 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2005-12-02 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, September 2005 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2005-09-11 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, September 2005 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2005-09-09 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, June 2005 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2005-06-19 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 2004 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2004-10-15 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, July 2004 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2004-07-15 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, March 2004 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2004-03-21 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, October 2003 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2003-10-26 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, July 2003 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2003-07-27 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 2002 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2002-10-15 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, September 2002 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2002-09-04 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, September 2002 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2002-09-02 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, July 2002 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2002-07-13 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, June 2002 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2002-06-17 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, January 2002 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2002-01-24 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, December 2001 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2001-12-07 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 2001 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2001-10-25 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, October 2001 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2001-10-06 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, January 2001 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2001-01-17 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 2000 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2000-10-31 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 2000 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2000-10-15 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, July 2000 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2000-07-09 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, April 2000 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2000-04-02 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, February 2000 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 2000-02-14 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 1999 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1999-10-03 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, September 1999 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1999-09-14 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, May 1999 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1999-05-16 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, February 1999 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1999-02-21 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, February 1999 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1999-02-12 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, February 1999 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1999-02-04 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, January 1999 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1999-01-10 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, January 1999 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1999-01-03 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, December 1998 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1998-12-01 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, November 1998 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1998-11-15 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, November 1998 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1998-11-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 1998 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1998-10-26 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, August 1998 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1998-08-10 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, February 1998 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1998-02-22 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, February 1998 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1998-02-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, January 1998 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1998-01-25 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, January 1998 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1998-01-19 | – | – | – |
| Pew Research Center poll, October 1997 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1997-10-31 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, August 1997 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1997-08-27 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, June 1997 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1997-06-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, January 1997 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1997-01-14 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, November 1996 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1996-11-02 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 1996 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1996-10-15 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, May 1996 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1996-05-12 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, May 1996 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1996-05-06 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, November 1995 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1995-11-19 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, August 1995 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1995-08-07 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, August 1995 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1995-08-05 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, March 1995 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1995-03-19 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, February 1995 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1995-02-22 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, December 1994 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1994-12-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 1994 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1994-10-29 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, October 1994 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1994-10-23 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, June 1994 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1994-06-06 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, January 1994 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1994-01-30 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, January 1994 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1994-01-20 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, March 1993 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1993-03-24 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, January 1993 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1993-01-17 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, January 1993 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1993-01-14 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 1992 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1992-10-23 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 1992 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1992-10-15 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, June 1992 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1992-06-08 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, October 1991 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1991-10-20 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, March 1991 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1991-03-06 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, March 1991 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1991-03-01 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, January 1991 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1991-01-27 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, December 1990 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1990-12-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 1990 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1990-10-28 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, September 1990 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1990-09-06 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, January 1990 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1990-01-16 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, June 1989 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1989-06-29 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, January 1989 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1989-01-15 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, November 1988 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1988-11-10 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 1988 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1988-10-15 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, January 1988 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1988-01-23 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 1987 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1987-10-18 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, June 1987 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1987-06-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, March 1987 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1987-03-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, January 1987 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1987-01-21 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, January 1987 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1987-01-19 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, December 1986 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1986-12-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, November 1986 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1986-11-30 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, September 1986 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1986-09-09 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, January 1986 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1986-01-19 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, November 1985 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1985-11-06 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, July 1985 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1985-07-29 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, March 1985 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1985-03-21 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, February 1985 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1985-02-27 | – | – | – |
| ABC News/Washington Post poll, February 1985 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1985-02-22 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, November 1984 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1984-11-14 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 1984 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1984-10-15 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, December 1982 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1982-12-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, November 1980 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1980-11-07 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 1980 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1980-10-15 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, March 1980 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1980-03-12 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, November 1979 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1979-11-03 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, December 1978 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1978-12-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, October 1977 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1977-10-23 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, April 1977 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1977-04-25 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 1976 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1976-10-15 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, September 1976 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1976-09-05 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, June 1976 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1976-06-15 | – | – | – |
| Gallup poll, March 1976 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1976-03-01 | – | – | – |
| CBS News/New York Times poll, February 1976 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1976-02-08 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, December 1974 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1974-12-01 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 1972 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1972-10-15 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, December 1970 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1970-12-01 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 1968 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1968-10-15 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, December 1966 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1966-12-01 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, October 1964 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1964-10-15 | – | – | – |
| American National Election Studies poll, December 1958 (via Pew's trust compilation) | 1958-12-01 | – | – | – |