WASHINGTON — A new national poll has found that only half of U.S. adults trust the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s public health recommendations, a sharp decline from the previous year.
The survey by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the de Beaumont Foundation, released on June 9, 2026, showed that 50 percent of respondents trust the CDC’s recommendations to improve public health, down from 77 percent in spring 2025. The poll was conducted among 2,205 U.S. adults.
Trust levels dropped across most demographic groups, including men and women, various racial and ethnic groups, and residents of urban, suburban and rural areas. Among political affiliations, trust fell sharply among Democrats, from 92 percent to 34 percent, and among independents, from 77 percent to 47 percent. Republicans were the only group to show a slight increase, from 63 percent to 67 percent.
The poll also indicated declines in trust for state and local public health departments. Trust in state health departments fell from 80 percent to 66 percent, while trust in local departments dropped from 82 percent to 70 percent.
Researchers noted that the fraction of the public saying they trust CDC recommendations includes about one-third who trust them “somewhat” and 12 percent who trust them “a great deal.” The survey was conducted between March 19 and April 1, 2026.
"Trust in public health agencies has dropped dramatically," according to the report from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
The findings come more than a year into the second Trump administration, during which changes to federal public health leadership have occurred. Half of Americans reported trusting federal public health recommendations less since the administration began, the poll found.
Despite the decline in trust in the CDC, previous surveys have shown continued broad support for certain public health measures, such as childhood vaccinations, though specific figures from this poll on vaccines were not detailed in initial releases.
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and de Beaumont Foundation said the poll reflects ongoing partisan divides in perceptions of federal health agencies. CDC officials have not issued a direct response to the poll findings as of Thursday.
Further details from the full report and any agency comments are expected in the coming days as public health officials continue to address communication and trust issues.
