What American Institutions Conservatives Trust, And Which Ones Liberals Trust

Trust in American institutions varies widely by political ideology, according to a new Gallup poll.

Gallup found that American liberals and conservatives “report markedly different levels of confidence in nearly every key institution” that they measure, a shift they attribute to a significantly different “worldview” embraced by each group.

Conservatives are more likely to trust organized religion, the police and the military. Liberals are more likely to trust the Supreme Court, television news and public schools.

Congress inspires little confidence in the American people, with only 11 percent of conservatives and 9 percent of liberals reporting that they trust the institution.

Gallup asked Americans about the office of the presidency rather than the president himself. Liberals are more likely than conservatives to trust the presidency by 36 percentage points.

Gallup notes that “confidence in most major U.S. institutions continues to linger well below historical norms,” and is not limited to one particular political ideology.