Gallup poll: US public in deep political anxiety, gripped by economic stress
New international polling by Gallup reveals that the United States stands out globally for its intense anxiety over politics, democracy, and economic insecurity, painting a bleak picture of a country increasingly unstable compared with its peers.
The survey of 107 countries showed that Americans are unusually fixated on politics and government as the most serious problem facing their nation.
Roughly one-third of Americans named politics and government as the top issue, a level matched only by Taiwan. While wealthier countries tend to emphasize political concerns, the US is exceptional in how sharply these worries dominate public opinion.
Gallup researcher Benedict Vigers said the US stands out for its combined fear about democratic stability and declining economic opportunity, noting that “It's really unique in that regard.”
The survey, conducted from March to October 2025, comes after decades of intensifying partisan polarization, the rise of incumbent US President Donald Trump, the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, failed attempts to hold Trump accountable during Joe Biden’s presidency, and Trump’s return to office, all of which have weakened confidence in the country’s political and constitutional safeguards.
Economic anxiety, particularly among younger Americans, is another area where the US compares poorly internationally.
Americans aged 35 and under are far more likely than older adults to cite affordability and economic pressures - such as food and housing costs - as their top concern. About one-third of young Americans did so, compared with just 13 percent of those aged 55 and older.
This pattern mirrors trends in other English-speaking countries facing housing crises, including Australia, Canada, and Ireland, which Vigers described as “It's a literally concrete example of young people being locked out of economic progress.”
Older Americans, meanwhile, are far more preoccupied with politics and government, with about four in 10 people aged 35 and over ranking it as the country’s most pressing problem, compared with about two in 10 younger adults.
Gallup’s long-term tracking shows that concern about politics has risen steadily since 2000 and remained near or above Watergate-era levels since 2016.
Frank Newport of Gallup linked this trend to extreme polarization, while political scientist Brendan Nyhan warned of deeper consequences.
“A world where people aren’t optimistic about their economic futures is one in which they’re willing to destabilize institutions even further,” Nyhan said. “Low trust is corrosive.”
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