Trust in political leaders has declined at least somewhat among all party groups since the mid-2000s, with more change seen among independents and Republicans than among Democrats.

Historically, there have been only modest party differences in trust in the American people, something that is less plainly connected to the current party power structure in Washington than is trust in political leaders. Currently, 58% of Democrats, 55% of independents and 53% of Republicans say they have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in the American people to make judgments about the issues facing the country. All party groups have significantly less trust in the American people today than in the mid-2000s.