Supreme Court Approval Remains Low Amidst Political Scrutiny
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Supreme Court Approval Remains Low Amidst Political Scrutiny
- Public approval of the U.S. Supreme Court is currently below 50%, with a Marquette Law School Poll from late July 2026 indicating 47% approval and 53% disapproval.
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This sustained low approval follows a broader decline in public confidence since early 2025, and former President Donald Trump’s criticisms have been noted as a contributing factor to the partisan divide in perceptions of the court.
The U.S. Supreme Court is experiencing a period of low public approval, with recent polls showing a majority of Americans disapproving of its performance. A Marquette Law School Poll conducted from July 22-29, 2026, found that 47% of adults approved of the Supreme Court’s job handling, while 53% disapproved. This marks the eighth consecutive month that approval has remained under 50%, a trend observed since November 2025.
The court’s approval ratings had been above 50% for much of the first half of 2025, reaching a high of 54% in March 2025. However, confidence has broadly declined since then. A Pew Research Center survey conducted from July 6-12, 2026, also reported that 53% of Americans held an unfavorable opinion of the court, with 45% viewing it favorably. This favorable rating is 20 percentage points lower than in April 2021, when 65% of Americans had a positive view.
The decline in public trust is significantly influenced by political partisanship. For instance, the Marquette poll revealed a wide partisan gap: 74% of Republicans approved of the court, compared to 35% of independents and 22% of Democrats. Republican approval has seen a downward drift from 84% in February 2025. Similarly, independent approval fell from 46% over the same period.
Former President Donald Trump’s public criticisms of the Supreme Court, particularly after rulings unfavorable to his administration, are perceived to have fueled this slide, especially among Republicans. While some rulings during the recent term favored the Trump administration, others, such as those concerning tariffs and birthright citizenship, were met with his strong disapproval. A majority of the public, 58%, now believes the justices are motivated mainly by politics rather than the law, an increase from 52% in May. This sentiment is particularly strong among Democrats (74%) and independents (59%), though 43% of Republicans also share this view.