Majority say ethics, honesty in government have declined under Trump: Pew

More than half of Americans say the level of ethics and honesty in the federal government has declined since the start of President Trump’s second term, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center.

The survey, released on Friday, found that 56 percent of U.S. adults believe the overall level of ethics and honesty has fallen since January 2025. Another 24 percent said it has stayed the same while 19 percent said it has risen.

The findings reflect a clear partisan divide, with 88 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning respondents saying the level has dropped compared to just 23 percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning respondents.

About 47 percent of Americans said they expected it to happen when asked in the weeks following Trump’s second inauguration, while 31 percent thought it would rise, according to the poll.

The survey also shows voters are split when it comes to the Trump administration’s efforts to incorporate the president’s name, image and likeness into aspects of the federal government — from printing his portrait on limited-edition U.S. passports to affixing his name to buildings such as the renowned........

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