62% of Americans Say Federal Government Has Too Much Power

According to Gallup’s latest survey, 62% of Americans say the federal government holds too much power — the highest level recorded since the poll began in 2002. That figure is up sharply from 51% last year and surpasses the previous high of 60% seen during Barack Obama’s second term. By comparison, the long-term average for this sentiment is 53%.

In the early 2000s, fewer than half of Americans believed the government had excessive power, a reflection of post-9/11 unity. But since 2005, that figure has consistently stayed at or above 50%, peaking this year under President Donald Trump’s second term.

The increase is driven largely by shifting partisan views. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents reporting that the government has too much power jumped from 25% to 66% in the past year. Republicans, meanwhile, dropped from 75% to 58%. It’s the first time since 2003–2007 that Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say the government wields excessive power.

Gallup attributes Democrats’ growing concern to Trump’s highly active presidency, marked by frequent executive orders, domestic military actions, and major policy shifts.

When asked whether the government is doing too much or too little, 51% of Americans said it’s doing too much, while 40% believe it should do more.

Partisan divides remain stark: 74% of Republicans think the government is overreaching, compared to 34% of Democrats. Despite shifting political landscapes, most Americans still agree that the federal government’s power has grown too large.