Why trust in the federal government is down in the dumps

Only 27% of the public trusts the federal government, according to a new survey from the Partnership for Public Service.

“I think over the longer term, if our government cannot be responsive effectively to the critical issues that are facing Americans, then it won't have the trust that we need,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. “So I think this is a moment both of opportunity, of engaging the public in speaking up and caring about what's happening to our government, and it's a moment of challenge as we've seen core government institutions, bluntly, burnt down.”

For more on how we got here and to discuss whether this level of public distrust is new or part of a broader trend over the past several years, Stier joined Marketplace’s Nancy Marshall-Genzer in a recent conversation. The following is an edited transcript of their conversation

Nancy Marshall-Genzer: So, what's going on here, Max? Why is there so little trust in government?

Max Stier: You asked the question, "Is this new?" And the answer is, it's not new, and I think you highlighted the important point that you've seen a decline in trust of all institutions. It is particularly troubling, though, when you talk about our government because it is a fundamental part of our democracy.

Marshall-Genzer: And your report also says that this crisis of confidence has been exacerbated by what the report calls “haphazard actions” by the Trump administration. Can you give me some examples of this? Are you talking about cutbacks by DOGE?

Stier: So, unlike trust in the federal government, the public actually has an increased positive view about the federal workforce itself. So, we saw a 10-point jump in the positive views of civil servants, a 10-point jump in the perspective that civil servants, federal workers, are working for people like me, and three-quarters of Americans saying they actually want a nonpartisan professional civil service. So I think we're seeing an example of loss aversion.

Americans are experiencing the loss of capability from our government that they assumed would always be there, and that isn't, and that shows itself across the country, whether it's fires that are occurring and not being responded to in the same way, or the measles outbreaks, or food-borne illnesses, and I think this is going to accelerate as Americans lose things that they want and need from our government. I'm hopeful that this will be a historic civic lesson about why they need to care about what happens to our government and to ensure that future leaders are actually investing in the capability of government rather than tearing it down.

Marshall-Genzer: That's so interesting, so people are beginning to value federal workers a little more if they're not there to help. But also, when people were asked about particular interactions they had with federal workers, like applying for a passport or benefits, they're more positive. So their interactions make them feel more positive about the federal government, even though their overall view of government is negative.

Stier: Yes, I think you put a face on the federal workforce, when you actually share specific examples of people doing the public's work, then attitudes get a lot better. I think part of what we're seeing in terms of the overall view of the federal government is that when you talk about the federal government, people aren't thinking about those civil servants who may be a neighbor solving a real problem for them. They're thinking about bickering politicians in Washington, and that cohort is not something that is popular with pretty much anyone.