U.S. Politics

The United States is the oldest continuous democracy in the world, and a model and inspiration for other nations seeking to build democratic institutions. One of the core pillars of American liberty is a free press. Pew conducts opinion surveys that track public attitudes toward the press and politics. At the same time, Pew issues major reports that examine long-term trends in the political values of Americans, as well as their views on policy issues and priorities, political knowledge, and news interest.

August 9, 2018 For Most Trump Voters, ‘Very Warm’ Feelings for Him Endured In the wake of Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory, an overwhelming majority of those who said they had voted for him had “warm” feelings for him.

July 24, 2018 Growing Partisan Differences in Views of the FBI; Stark Divide Over ICE A new survey of public attitudes toward federal agencies finds that partisan differences in views of the FBI have increased markedly over the past year. And Americans’ opinions about Immigration and Customs Enforcement are deeply polarized.

July 18, 2018 Taking Sides on Facebook: How Congressional Outreach Changed Under President Trump Democratic legislators’ opposition to political adversaries on Facebook spiked after Trump’s election, while "angry" reactions to posts by members of Congress increased among followers.

July 17, 2018 Americans Divided on Kavanaugh’s Nomination to the Supreme Court A week after Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to fill Justice Anthony Kennedy’s seat on the Supreme Court, the public is split in its early views of the nomination.

July 11, 2018 Obama Tops Public’s List of Best President in Their Lifetime, Followed by Clinton, Reagan When asked which president has done the best job in their lifetimes, more Americans name Barack Obama than any other president.

June 28, 2018 Shifting Public Views on Legal Immigration Into the U.S. While there has been considerable attention on illegal immigration into the U.S. recently, opinions about legal immigration have undergone a long-term change.

June 20, 2018 Voters More Focused on Control of Congress – and the President – Than in Past Midterms The congressional elections are more than four months away, but voter engagement is high when compared with comparable points in previous midterm cycles.

May 10, 2018 Public Supports U.S. Talks With North Korea; Many Doubt Whether Its Leaders Are ‘Serious’ Survey Report Americans overwhelmingly support direct talks between the United States and North Korea over its nuclear program. About seven-in-ten (71%) approve of these talks, while just 21% disapprove. However, the public is skeptical about whether North Korea’s leaders are serious about addressing concerns over its nuclear program. Overall, 49% say North Korea’s leadership is […]