Supreme Court joins Trump, Congress in job approval slump

The Supreme Court's approval rating — long the highest among the three branches of government — has sunk to a record low, joining President Trump and Congress in drawing low public support.

Why it matters: Americans aren't just unhappy with individual leaders. They're increasingly convinced the country's biggest institutions aren't working for them.

By the numbers: 33% of Americans approve of the Supreme Court's performance, according to a Gallup survey of 1,200 adults conducted from July 1-19 — days after the justices wrapped their latest term.

• That's down 6 percentage points from 2025, the court's previous low.
• About 13.5% of Americans approve of Congress' performance, down from 23.2% in July 2025, per YouGov data.
• Trump's approval rating stands at 34%, the lowest of either of his terms in office, a The Economist / YouGov poll found.

Zoom in: Republicans drove much of the Supreme Court's slide.

• Just 58% of Republicans approve of the court this year, down from a near-record 79% in 2025.
• Gallup estimates those changes may reflect frustration that the court has bucked Trump on several major priorities, including birthright citizenship and tariffs.
• Meanwhile, Democratic support plunged after the court overturned Roe v. Wade, and Gallup suggests Democrats and independents remain unhappy with its conservative tilt.

Flashback: When Gallup first asked the question in 2000, 62% of Americans approved of the Supreme Court, and a majority continued to support the court through 2010.

• Since then, its ratings have mostly fluctuated in the 40s as political polarization increased.

Zoom out: The low rankings square with Americans' overall low confidence in 14 of the nation's core institutions.

• An average of just 27% of Americans say they have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in 14 major U.S. institutions — only one point above the record low set in 2023.
• There's a wide partisan split here, too. Thirty-six percent of Republicans express high confidence in institutions, compared with 23% of Democrats.

The bottom line: Perceptions typically swing based on who's in the White House.

• But across the board, America's confidence meter is flashing warning lights.

Go deeper: America's trust in institutions keeps tanking