Military not public's least trusted

Public confidence in the U.S. military continues to wane, reaching its lowest point in over two decades, according to a new Gallup survey. 

Only 60% of Americans expressed “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the military in a recent Gallup poll conducted from June 1- 22. That’s down from 64% from last year. 

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, military confidence shot up and remained at/above 70% for over 20 years before dipping to 69% in 2021. The confidence level has further declined since. 

Over the past 48 years, Republicans have shown the highest levels of confidence in the military. But in three it had plunged from 91% to 68%. Independents have the lowest trust, dropping 13% to 55 %. 

These survey result declines mirror a crisis of trust in other public institutions. 

The military still evokes the highest public trust among the 14 other institutions included in the poll. 

Five institutions stand as the least trusted: Newspapers, criminal justice system, TV news, big business and Congress all had confidence rates under 20%. Congress registers the lowest at 8%. (Politico 07/31/23) Americans' confidence in the U.S. military lowest in 2 decades, poll finds - POLITICO