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 Democrats, 91% said corruption is widespread, compared with 57% in 2024 and 76% in 2025. Among independents, the figure reached 90%.
Republicans were somewhat less likely to perceive widespread corruption under President Donald Trump, with 83% saying it exists. That was down from 87% in 2024, during the Biden administration, though still an overwhelming majority.
A separate University of Massachusetts Amherst poll released Wednesday found 97% of respondents believed at least some corruption exists in government, reinforcing broader concerns about public trust.
Gallup also found perceptions of corruption in U.S. businesses rose from 63% in 2025 to 71% this year.
The U.S. figure is high by international standards. Gallup said only four of 132 countries surveyed since 2023 have recorded higher perceptions of government corruption.
Gallup surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults from May 1 through June 10. The poll has a margin of error of 4.1 percentage points.
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