More than half of Americans now say that ethical standards and honesty in the federal government have deteriorated since President Trump began his second term, according to a new Pew Research Center study released Friday. The survey found that 56 percent of U.S. adults perceive a decline in the overall level of ethics and honesty since January 2025, while 24 percent say it has remained unchanged and 19 percent believe it has improved.
The findings highlight a stark partisan divide: 88 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning respondents said ethics have declined, compared with only 23 percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning respondents. Notably, 47 percent of Americans had predicted this drop in the weeks following Trump's second inauguration, while 31 percent expected an improvement.
The poll also examined public attitudes toward the administration's efforts to incorporate Trump's name, image, and likeness into federal symbols—from printing his portrait on limited-edition passports to affixing his name to iconic buildings like the Kennedy Center and the U.S. Institute of Peace. Half of respondents said naming government buildings after Trump while he is still in office would be unacceptable; only 10 percent supported it. After his term ends, about 20 percent said it would be acceptable, with Republicans far more supportive than Democrats.
Trump's job approval rating has sunk to 34 percent, the lowest of his second term, according to Pew. The steepest decline came on the question of whether he “keeps his promises”—38 percent now say that describes him very or fairly well, down from 43 percent in August.
The erosion of support extends to his economic policies. An Associated Press-NORC Research Center survey released this week put his approval rating on fiscal issues at 30 percent, a 9-point drop since February, before the outbreak of hostilities with Iran. The conflict, now past the 60-day mark, has driven up gas prices and strained public patience.
The polling has put Republicans on the defensive and given Democrats a boost as both parties gear up for the November midterms, with cost-of-living and affordability issues taking center stage. Trump defended his economic record on Friday at a retirement community in Florida, dismissing concerns about the spike in gas prices caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. He claimed there are “close to 400 ships loaded up with the oil” and predicted prices would “come tumbling down” once they can navigate through the waterway. “What all of that stuff comes out, you’re going to see prices dropping on gasoline like you’ve never seen,” Trump said. “All of that, electricity, gasoline, anything having to do with energy.”
The Pew survey, conducted among 5,103 U.S. adults from April 20 to April 26, has a margin of error of 1.6 percentage points. The findings come as the administration faces scrutiny over other issues, including a lawsuit from detained immigrants over biometric data practices and ongoing clashes with Congress over Iran war powers deadlines.
