The Blubber

A majority of Americans hold a pessimistic view of the country’s direction under President Donald Trump as he nears the 100-day mark of his second term, according to a new national survey.

Sixty percent of Americans say the country is “seriously off on the wrong track,” according to a poll released Tuesday by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center. The question is a standard metric used by major polling firms to gauge the public’s perception of the nation’s overall trajectory.

Additionally, 54 percent of respondents said they expect the U.S. economy to be in worse shape a year from now than it is today.

Trust in the Supreme Court has dropped significantly, the survey shows—falling from 68 percent in 2019 to just 41 percent now. This marks a continued erosion of confidence in the court, which accelerated after its 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The poll results come amid a growing standoff between Trump and Congress, which has blocked a number of executive orders and moved to limit key elements of the president’s agenda.

Since returning to office, Trump has signed dozens of executive orders aimed at reshaping government agencies, as well as targeting universities and major law firms.

Thirty-two percent of respondents said they have “no trust at all” in the Supreme Court.

Still, the Court retains more public trust than many other institutions. Trust in the president stands at 40 percent, while elected officials and Congress trail at 36 percent and 32 percent, respectively. By contrast, the public expresses the most confidence in medical scientists and the military, with trust levels of 73 percent and 72 percent.

Despite declining confidence in the Supreme Court, Americans continue to support the principle of checks and balances.

“Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike believe that the courts and Congress should be able to check the president’s actions,” said Matt Levendusky, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center’s Institutions of Democracy division, summarizing findings from the survey of 1,360 U.S. adults conducted between March 6 and March 16.

Two-thirds—66 percent—of Americans believe that presidents should not disregard court rulings, even when they conflict with the administration’s goals. Among Republican respondents, 27 percent said it is acceptable for a president to ignore such rulings.