PPS: When the public primarily connects the idea of government with elected officials and political appointees, it prevents them from fully understanding the role of the federal government and the work it does on behalf of the American people. Image: Matrix_3x/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffA poll by the Partnership for Public Service has found an increase in the public’s trust in government over last year but that is “led primarily by a large increase among Republicans” who support the Trump administration.
Compared with a similar poll in the spring of last year, the percentage who do not trust the government dropped from 63 to 47 percent, while the percentage who do trust it rose from 23 to 33 percent. However, that was largely driven by an increase in trust by Republicans from 10 to 42 percent, while trust by Democrats fell from 39 to 31 percent.
“These changes by partisan affiliation are predictable. Not only is there significant precedent when looking back at polling trends over the past 70 years, it aligns with other research that shows how many Americans associate the federal government with elected officials and politicians, and see the government more favorably when their party is in charge,” the Partnership said.
“Unfortunately, when the public primarily connects the idea of government with elected officials and political appointees, it prevents them from fully understanding the role of the federal government and the work it does on behalf of the American people,” it said.
“Low levels of trust in which much of the public does not believe the government is operating in their best interest has been a longstanding problem and laid the groundwork for many of the current actions by the Trump administration,” it added. “After decades of negative perceptions of government, some members of the public are willing to see any change as better than the status quo. While our survey data has found that the administration’s cuts are generally unpopular, a portion of the population is supportive.”
Partisanship also was a factor in an increase in views about federal employees, it said, which overall rose from 46 to 49 percent positive and fell from 32 to 23 percent negative (with the rest neutral or unable to say). That trust increased among Republicans from 34 to 43 percent positive, while it rose from 61 to 65 percent among Democrats.
The poll further found a substantial changes in whether “Presidents should be able to fire any civil servants that they choose for any reason.” Among Republicans, 60 percent of Republicans agreed and 30 percent disagreed, compared with 37 and 62 percent last year; among Democrats, 14 percent agreed and 81 percent disagreed, compared with 11 and 87 percent.
“Undoubtedly, some of that shift among Republicans is a result of the party of the current president and the change from 2024. But an additional factor might be the criticism of federal civil servants posited by the Trump administration,” the Partnership said.
Several Federal Agencies Disavow Union Contracts, with More Likely to Follow
‘Only High Performers’ Should Receive Awards, Agencies Told
OPM Quietly Ends Its Role in ‘Five Things’ Reporting
COVID Vaccination Data to Be Deleted from Federal Personnel Records
Numbers, Impact of Federal Job Cuts Draw Increasing Scrutiny
OPM Limits Length of Paid Leave in Reorgs—Starting Next Year
See also,
What to Know About the New Federal Application Process
Top 10 Provisions in the Big Beautiful Bill of Interest to Federal Employees
A Pre-RIF Checklist for Every Federal Employee, From a Federal Employment Attorney
Work Longer or Take the FERS Supplement Now: Which is Better?
