Trust in CDC Plummets Amid Partisan Health Divide

A poll conducted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the de Beaumont Foundation’s Public Health Listening Lab reveals a dramatic decline in trust towards the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the Trump administration.

Trust in the CDC has fallen to 50% from 77% in spring 2025, reflecting a 27-point drop in just one year. The decline is not uniform; it is heavily influenced by partisanship.

Only 34% of Democrats trust CDC recommendations, down from 92% in 2025, while trust among Independents decreased from 77% to 47%. Conversely, Republican trust in the CDC has slightly increased from 63% to 67%.

A majority of 55% disapprove of federal public health agencies' actions, with 86% of Democrats expressing disapproval compared to only 20% of Republicans. Public concerns include perceptions that agency recommendations are overly influenced by personal beliefs and misaligned priorities.

Despite this, support for routine childhood vaccination requirements remains strong among the public.