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Americans' perception of corruption within the U.S. government has reached an unprecedented level, with 89% of adults believing it is widespread, according to a recent Gallup poll. This marks a 10-point increase from 2025 and is the highest recorded since Gallup began tracking this data in 2006.
The poll reveals a bipartisan consensus, with significant majorities of Republicans, Democrats, and independents agreeing on the extent of corruption. Democrats' perception of corruption has notably increased, rising from 57% in 2024 to 91% in 2026, coinciding with the first year of President Donald Trump's second term. Meanwhile, 83% of Republicans and 90% of independents also view corruption as pervasive.
This perception places the U.S. at the top of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) rankings for perceived government corruption, surpassing the 59% median among OECD countries in 2025. The U.S. now leads in perceived corruption among advanced economies, diverging significantly from global trends.
Despite the rise in perceptions of government corruption, Americans' views on business corruption have increased to 71%, showing a notable gap between perceptions of governmental and business corruption. This gap is the largest recorded in the U.S. since Gallup began the survey.
The survey results, based on telephone interviews conducted from May 1 to June 10, 2026, with 1,000 U.S. adults, highlight a growing concern among Americans about the integrity of their government. The margin of error for the poll is ±4.1 percentage points.