Report · Politics

Trust in the federal government is low or absent for a slim majority of Americans

Reading

In a Verasight survey of 3,000 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 18 to 24, 2024, 54% of Americans said they have a little or no trust in the federal government in Washington, D.C. Including 29% who said a little and 25% who said none.

About three-in-ten said they have a moderate amount of trust (28%), and 17% said they have a lot or a great deal of trust in the federal government, with 10% who said a lot and 7% who said a great deal.

Topline

response scale

Topline scale

54% of Americans have little or no trust in the federal government.

In general, how much do you trust the federal government in Washington D.C.?

  • A little 28.9%
  • A moderate amount 28.3%
  • None 25.4%
  • A lot 10.4%
  • A great deal 7.0%

2024 · base n 3,000 · +/- 3.5%

Verasight Interdisciplinary Omnibus Survey #2024-006

View source

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2024-01-18 → 2024-01-24
Base (unweighted)
3,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.5%
Module
Verasight Interdisciplinary Omnibus Survey #2024-006

Source

  • 01
    Trust in the federal government is low or absent for a slim majority of Americansreports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-interdisciplinary-omnibus-survey-2024-006

Citation

Verasight Interdisciplinary Omnibus Survey #2024-006, fielded January 18-24, 2024, N=3,000 United States adults, +/- 3.5%.

https://reports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-interdisciplinary-omnibus-survey-2024-006#in-general-how-much-do-you-trust-the-federal-government-in-washington-d-c

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. Each wave's specific field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that wave's report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
Every wave is published as a standalone report at verasight.io/reports with full instrument and methodology.
Transparency
AAPOR transparency standards.

Wave-specific methodology, full weighting variable lists, and verbatim instrument text live in each report at verasight.io/reports.