Say what?
Trust in the media remains historically low, but there’s been a slight rebound since President Donald Trump returned to the White House—particularly among Democrat voters, according to a new national poll.
The research, conducted by business intelligence group Caliber, found that trust in newspapers rose from 14% to 17%, and trust in TV news climbed from 12% to 16% since last August. These increases, while modest, appear to reflect a revived battle between President Trump and the mainstream media—a dynamic that defined his first term and has returned with full force in his second.
Despite these bumps, faith in the federal government overall remains lukewarm, holding steady at 10% in May, down slightly from 11% in December.
🔎 Trust in Media Up — But Still Low Among Most Americans
Caliber’s polling included 1,126 respondents in early May and tracked opinions across political affiliations. Key findings show that:
- Republican trust in newspapers rose from 8% to 10%
- Republican trust in TV news jumped from 11% to 16%
- Democratic trust in newspapers rose from 24% to 25%
- Democratic trust in TV news increased from 19% to 21%
This data suggests that even conservative voters are showing small increases in media trust, possibly in response to ongoing media attacks on the Trump administration. However, most remain highly skeptical of what many still call the “fake news” media.
📉 Gallup: Majority of Americans Still Don’t Buy It
A recent Gallup poll underscores how deeply rooted media distrust remains nationwide. Just 31% of Americans say they have a “fair amount” or “great deal” of confidence that news outlets report the truth—a dramatic fall from 72% in 1976.
That number stood at 45% as recently as 2018—meaning trust has dropped by nearly a third in just six years.
🏛️ Trust in the White House: Divided by Party
While the media saw slight improvements in public trust, the White House saw sharper partisan shifts:
- Republican trust in the executive branch jumped from 7% to 17%
- Democratic trust dropped from 16% to just 8%
As in his first term, President Trump continues to challenge media narratives, while Democrats and left-leaning media outlets grow increasingly hostile. This tension is once again playing a major role in shaping public perception.
🎓 Harvard Expert: Media Gains Are About Politics, Not Credibility
Harvard’s Matthew Baum told Newsweek the pattern is clear: When a Republican is in power, Democrats are more likely to rally around the media. He warned that any further increase in media trust may depend on whether news outlets are perceived to resist or cave to pressure from the Trump administration.
🇺🇸 Bottom Line: Conservatives Are Waking Up, But Staying Skeptical
Despite small increases in media trust, most Americans—especially older conservatives—remain wary of what they see as biased reporting and political activism in the press.
As President Trump’s second term unfolds, and his America First policies dominate headlines again, one thing is clear: The war between the White House and the media is far from over.