A growing majority of Americans believe the federal government wields too much power, according to a new Gallup survey. Sixty-two percent of respondents say Washington has more authority than it should, the highest level recorded since the left-leaning Gallup began asking the question in 2002.
The result marks a sharp increase from 51% a year ago, and it surpasses the previous high of 60%, which was registered during Barack Obama’s second term in 2013 and 2015. Only about one-third of respondents say the government’s power is “about right,” while very few say it has too little power.
What’s unusual is that while normally Republicans want to tamp down federal authority, the current shift appears to be driven largely by changes among Democrats. Now that Donald Trump is back in the White House, 66% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say the federal government has too much power, a dramatic rise from 25% last year.
Republicans, meanwhile, have moved in the opposite direction, with 58% now saying the government has too much power, down from 75% a year ago.
This is the first time since the George W. Bush years, between 2003 and 2007, that Democrats have been more likely than Republicans to express concern about excessive government power.
During Bush’s presidency, Democrats’ skepticism was tied to post-9/11 security expansions and the Iraq War. That concern subsided under Obama, when only about a third of Democrats said the federal government was too powerful. During Trump’s first term, that share hovered between 44% and 50%.
Democrats’ renewed concern today may reflect Trump’s assertive use of executive authority, including a surge in executive orders, securing the borders and domestic military deployment to tamp down riots, and trade and tariff decisions.
Republican concern about government power has historically peaked during Democratic administrations, with 74% to 82% saying Washington was too powerful during Obama’s and Biden’s terms.
Over two decades of Gallup data show that public concern about federal overreach tends to fluctuate with changes in the presidency. In the immediate years following 9/11, fewer than half of Americans felt the government had too much power, as trust in national leadership temporarily surged.
Since 2005, however, majorities have consistently said the federal government holds too much authority and the current 62% marks a new record high.
3 thoughts on “Record high number of Americans think federal government has too much power: Poll”
I definitely agree with the majority here. The Federal Guv’ment has way-too much power and is way-too big!!!
Democrats only think government has too much power as Trump is in office and dismantling much of the tower of Marxism that was being erected. They would be perfectly happy with government running everything as long as it was socialist, kept conservatives and Christians silenced, and entitlement flowing. Just as the ‘no king’ movement is a huge lie, as they truly do want a king, the one of ‘benevolent big brother government’ doing everything for them, they want Washington control, just not the one trying to wrest back our republic.
That’s what majority Americans know.
However.
They cry when government departments and budgets are right-sized and reduced. Instead of vacating government jobs and head into the private sector.
Are they ready to do the right thing to eliminate social security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Unemployment?
No. Americans are not.
It’s one thing to think the federal and state governments are too big (or powerful) it’s another thing to do something about it and make reductions on departments and budget spending.