According to Gallup's latest survey, trust in mass media among U.S. adults has reached a historic low, with only 28% expressing a “great deal” or “fair amount” of confidence in news outlets. This marks a decline from 31% last year and a notable drop from 40% five years ago. The survey indicates that approximately 70% of adults report little to no confidence in media, with 36% stating they have “not very much” trust and 34% claiming “none at all.” This is the first time Gallup has recorded trust levels dipping below 30% since it began tracking this metric in the 1970s, when around 70% of Americans expressed confidence in news sources.
The erosion of trust spans across political affiliations, with Republican confidence plummeting to single digits, now at 8%. Independents remain skeptical at 27%, while Democratic trust has also declined, with a narrow majority of 51% expressing confidence—levels last seen in 2016. Generational differences reveal that those aged 65 and older maintain relatively higher trust at 43%, while younger adults show skepticism, rarely exceeding 28%.
These findings emerge amidst high-profile media controversies, such as The New York Times reporting on a false Gaza hospital story and criticisms regarding its coverage of Vice President Kamala Harris’ alleged plagiarism. Additionally, President Donald Trump has initiated a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, claiming the publication damaged his reputation with false statements.
Further complicating the media landscape, an analysis by the Media Research Center found that major news networks have framed coverage during the government shutdown favorably towards Democrats, while heavily critiquing Republicans, with a significant imbalance in coverage.