WASHINGTON — Public trust in U.S. federal public health agencies remains sharply divided along partisan lines in 2026, with recent polls showing overall confidence in institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at about 50 percent, down significantly from prior years, according to surveys by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and others.
A poll released this week by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the de Beaumont Foundation found that only 50 percent of U.S. adults trust the CDC’s recommendations to improve public health, a drop from 77 percent in spring 2025. Trust in state and local public health departments also declined, though they remained higher than federal agencies.
The Annenberg Public Policy Center’s February 2026 survey reported confidence in the CDC, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) at 60 to 62 percent, down from higher levels in previous years. Respondents expressed greater confidence in career scientists at these agencies, with about 67 percent saying they trusted them, compared to 43 percent for agency leaders.
Partisan differences have widened. Democrats have shown notable declines in trust following leadership changes in the Trump administration, while some Republicans reported modest gains or stability. Earlier KFF polls documented similar patterns, with trust in the CDC falling among both parties over time but remaining polarized.
The divisions trace back to the COVID-19 pandemic and have persisted amid debates over vaccine recommendations, agency leadership and public health policies. Individual physicians continue to enjoy higher levels of trust than federal agencies across surveys.
“These findings reflect ongoing challenges in public health communication,” one expert involved in polling noted in related coverage, though specific attributions varied across reports.
Broader surveys, including those from Pew Research Center and others, have tracked low overall trust in federal institutions for years, with public health agencies experiencing fluctuations tied to political and health events. Professional medical organizations outside government often receive higher confidence ratings.
As of June 12, 2026, federal health agencies continue operations amid the divided public sentiment. Details on specific policy impacts or further polling updates remain subject to ongoing data collection and analysis. Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
