Trust in the FBI has cratered among Americans, says CNN pollster

CNN poll analyst Harry Enten documented how Americans have drastically lost trust in the Federal Bureau of Investigation through the past decades.

President-elect Donald Trump nominated former National Security Council official Kash Patel as director of the FBI over loud protest from many on the left and some establishment Republicans.

'That is by far the lowest number this century.'

Enten showed that polling had found a large majority had faith in the FBI doing a good or excellent job, about 59% in 2014. That dropped to 57% in 2019, 50% in 2022, and a shocking 41% in 2024.

“Look at where we are today, my goodness gracious, just 41% of Americans think the FBI is doing an excellent or good job. That is by far the lowest number this century,” he said. “The bottom line is during the Trump administration obviously there were the investigations into Donald Trump. You saw a little bit of drop then, and then post-January 6, look at that drop. 50%, now 41%. My goodness gracious.”

Enten said the low trust in the FBI meant that drastic changes made to the Bureau would likely meet with little resistance.

“I think Patel has real reason to believe that Americans would go along with changes he might potentially make at the FBI, and there’s a reason why Donald Trump feels like he can make this change,” he explained.

Despite being excoriated for its investigations into alleged misconduct by Trump, the FBI has been similarly lambasted over an investigation into then-candidate Hillary Clinton ahead of the 2016 election.

Enten posted the CNN video on his social media account.

Trump said Patel would tackle human trafficking, immigrant criminal gangs, and a growing crime crisis in the U.S. when he announced his decision.

"Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and 'America First' fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People," he wrote on social media. "He played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution."

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