“Practical trust”: Americans follow federal guidance despite overall mistrust of government

The third in a series of nationally representative polls conducted by the Partnership for Public Service reveals a troubling trend: Just 23% of Americans trust the federal government, with less than one-third believing it has a positive impact on the U.S.

However, low trust does not always translate into behavior one might expect—many who report mistrust in government still indicate a willingness to follow its guidance on issues that affect everyday life.

Uncovering implicit trust

Trust is the foundation of healthy democracies, fostering engagement and cooperation between members of the public and their governing institutions. When trust erodes, it sets off a “mistrust loop”: If people don’t trust the government, they are less likely to engage in civic activities. In turn, the gap between the people and their governing institutions widens, likely deteriorating trust even further.

But what does trust look like in practice? The Partnership set out to learn how trust in government manifests in certain behaviors—beyond what people might explicitly declare.

In May 2024, we launched an online survey of 1,000 respondents in the U.S. to explore actionable questions around trust in government. In addition to asking about trust in general terms, we explored how people would hypothetically respond to federal guidance on issues that directly impact their daily lives.

The results were both surprising and encouraging.

For instance, 76% of respondents said they would likely follow the government’s guidance during an emergency, including 89% of Democrats, 73% of Republicans and 73% of independents.

Similarly, 74% of respondents expressed trust in government recommendations around food safety, including 83% of Democrats, 72% of Republicans and 71% of independents. The same percentage—74%—said they would likely comply with new tax regulations that affect income.

Fully 81% of Democrats, 73% of Republicans and 72% of independents expressed the same sentiment.

These results speak to a critical distinction: While trust in the federal government in the abstract sense is low, "practical trust"—the willingness to follow federal guidance in specific, actionable scenarios—is robust. This suggests that despite broad skepticism about the government in general terms, many people in the U.S. still recognize its expertise and authority in areas that affect their daily lives and actions.

The implications of this finding may be significant. It reveals that there is a foundation of trust based on which the federal government can build. By clearly communicating its role in safety, security and economic well-being—and by effectively delivering guidance related to these—our government could begin to gain broader public trust.

Nadzeya Shutava works on several of the Partnership’s research projects, including the improvement of customer experience with federal services, leadership in government, as well as public opinion and government.