Perceptions of government corruption at record high: Gallup
Gallup said 89% of U.S. adults now see widespread corruption, a 10-point increase from last year and the highest level in 20 years.
- Gallup released survey data Wednesday showing 89% of Americans believe government corruption is widespread, marking a 10-point increase from last year and the highest level recorded in two decades.
- Perception shifts are driven largely by Democrats and independents, with 91% and 90% respectively reporting corruption, while 83% of Republicans share that view, representing a significant departure from 2010–2025 norms.
- For the first time, the United States leads the 38-member Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in perceived corruption, diverging from international trends where median perception levels remain below 60%.
- Political scientist David Szakonyi of George Washington University told The Washington Post there is a "broad base consensus for the fact that something is broken in Washington," reflecting rare bipartisan agreement.
- Beyond federal concerns, 71% of Americans now consider the U.S. business sector corrupt, an 18-point increase from last year, suggesting skepticism extends across institutional sectors.
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32 Articles
Nearly all Americans see corruption in federal government, UMass poll finds - The Boston Globe
Democrats and Republicans are sharply divided over where corruption lies in government and judge the same presidential behavior differently depending on which party is in power, the study shows.
A far higher percentage of Americans think their government is corrupt than in just about any other country.
2 September 2026, by Eric Zuesse. (All of my recent articles can be seen here.) The percent of Americans who believe that their Government is corrupt is now the 4th-highest ever recorded for any country: 89%. Only Lebanon in 2024 (92%), Peru in 2025 (92%), Ghana in 2024 (90%), and Nigeria in 2024 (90%), have […]
Poll: 89% of Americans Say Government Is Corrupt
Americans may not agree on much politically, but they're lining up on this: the government looks dirty. A new Gallup poll finds nearly 9 in 10 US adults believe corruption is rampant in Washington, the highest level recorded in 20 years and a sharp 10-point jump from last year. The...
Gallup Finds Record 89% Say U.S. Government Corruption Is Widespread
Washington, D.C. — Americans’ perception of corruption in the federal government has reached a record high, according to a new Gallup survey released Wednesday. Gallup found that 89% of respondents said corruption is widespread throughout the U.S. government, up 10 percentage points from 2025 and the highest level recorded since Gallup began asking the question in 2006. The increase was driven largely by Democrats and independents. Among Democra…
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