According to a new survey, the trust in U.S. institutions by the general population has fallen to a record low since President Donald Trump took office.
Reuters reported that the survey done by the annual Edelman Trust Barometer found that trust in U.S. institutions decreased in the U.S. more so than any of the other 28 countries in the survey. Institutions that were measured include the government, media, business and nongovernment organizations.
According to the survey, the trust that the general population puts in institutions has decreased by 9 points to 43 percent. This is the largest recorded drop in the survey’s history.
Apparently, trust between the informed public in the U.S. fell 23 points to 45 percent. Meanwhile, faith in government fell 14 points to 33 percent among the general population. A fall between 10 and 20 points was recorded on trust put in business, media and nongovernmental organizations.
Richard Edelman, president and CEO of Edelman said that “The United States is enduring an unprecedented crisis of trust.”
“This is the first time that a massive drop in trust has not been linked to a pressing economic issue or a catastrophe like the Fukushima nuclear disaster. In fact, it’s the ultimate irony that it’s happening at a time of prosperity, with the stock market and employment rates in the U.S. at record highs. The root cause of this fall is the lack of objective facts and rational discourse.”
According to the survey, the media is not trusted in 22 of the 28 countries surveyed.
This is seen as a result of President Trump’s regular attack on the media, accusing networks and reporters of publishing “fake news.”
On the other hand, China recorded the largest gain in public trust with an 8-point gain up to 84 percent.
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