RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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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 .
Data: Gallup ; Chart: Noah Bressner/Axios
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
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