Gallup poll shows U.S. institutions face record low confidence, military stands out

A recent Gallup poll of American attitudes found confidence in institutions at a historic low, with only 27% of respondents expressing a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in any of the nine institutions measured since 1979. Confidence has been declining steadily since the mid‑2000s.

The U.S. military received the highest rating, with 61% of adults reporting strong confidence, although support was weaker among 18‑34‑year‑olds. By contrast, confidence in the U.S. Congress fell to just 9%, and the president’s office also lagged.

Among non‑governmental sectors, public trust in higher‑education institutions continues to fall rapidly, and confidence in large technology companies is even lower, widening a gap that recent surveys show is expanding.