CHIP50 Report #115: American attitudes toward government interventions in science

In these polarizing times it can be hard for Americans to find common ground, but a June 2025 survey report published by the Civic Health and Institutions Project (CHIP50) finds that Americans who disapprove of the administration’s science-related policies outnumber those who approve by more than two to one.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

• Americans who disapprove of the administration’s science-related policies outnumber those who approve by more than two to one. On average, 48% disapprove or strongly disapprove of recent government actions in that space, while only 21% approve or strongly approve.
• The most negatively viewed actions are the pause in public health information dissemination (51% disapproval) and the firing of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees (50% disapproval).
• Approval levels for individual actions are low;only the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) (29%) and the layoffs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (27%) received more than 25% approval.
• Average approval of science-related government actions is highest among Republicans (42%), men (28%), graduate degree holders (30%), and high-income respondents (31%). Disapproval is strongest among Democrats (74%), African Americans (56%), women (53%), and those aged 65 and older (55%).
• A majority of Americans support greater government investment in research: 57% favor increased medical research funding and 42% support increased scientific research funding. Relatively few want funding cuts: only 10% for medical research and 16% for science.
• Even among Republicans, nearly half (48%) favor more medical research funding, though only 31% support increases in science research funding. A quarter of Republicans support cuts for scientific research and 15% for medical research.
• While support for research remains strong, the proportion of Americans reporting high trust in scientists declined from 58% in2020 to 36% in 2025, with sharper drops among Republicans (from 54% to 26%) than among Democrats (from 67% to 50%).
• Despite declines in public confidence, scientists and doctors remain more trusted than most institutions, including Congress, the Supreme Court, and the news media.

Read the full report at CHIP50.org.