(ZENIT News / Washington, DC, 28.07.2024).- Gallup Inc. published the ranking of trust among American institutions for 2024. In this ranking, the Church is the sixth most valued among a total of 17 institutions. This year’s ranking also shows a growth of trust in the police, being one of the three that inspires most trust, together with small businesses (68%) and the Army (61%). As the Report shows, small businesses and the Army have usually headed the list of trust since 1989, alternating the first place between them.
Moreover, between 26% and 36% of adults in the USA express considerable trust in nine additional institutions, including the medical system, higher education, the Church or religious organizations, the U.S. Supreme Court, public schools, labour unions, banks, large technological companies and the Executive. Although these levels do not reach a majority, they reflect a significant degree of trust.
The Worst Index of Trust: The Media and Congress
Five institutions have the trust of less than a quarter of American adults: the criminal justice system, the newspapers, big businesses, TV news and Congress. Trust in the criminal justice system has increased by four points since last year, whereas trust in other institutions has remained practically unchanged. TV news and Congress stand out for the low trust they inspire, these being the least trustworthy institutions for the majority of Americans.
The average trust among the 14 institutions regularly evaluated since 1993 has oscillated between 26% in 2023 and 43% at the beginning of the decade of 2000. The current actual average of 28% marks the third consecutive year in which trust remains under 30%. Before 2022, the average trust was between 31% and 43%.
In a notable change of perception, Americans’ trust in the police increased by eight percentage points in the last year, reaching 51%, according to Gallup’s annual updating of the 17 main institutions of the USA. This increase is the largest registered in the public perception of the institutions evaluated. Of the total, 25% of those surveyed said they had ‘much” trust in the police, and 26% said that had “quite” a bit.
Partisan Differences in Trust
Trust in institutions varies significantly according to political affiliation. Democrats have greater trust in 10 institutions, including the Executive, higher education and labour unions. In contrast, Republicans trust the police more, the Church and the Supreme Court. Trust in small businesses , the Army, large companies and Congress is similar between both groups. Historically, trust in the Executive reflects the partisan affiliation of the acting President.
Although trust in the main institutions of the USA has been historically stable, at present they are at a low level, with only three of the 17 institutions reaching a majority trust. The police is the only institution that has shown a significant change in the last year, regaining part of the trust lost in the previous years.
