Support among Republicans for the nation’s top law enforcement agencies has reportedly surged since President Trump returned to the White House, according to new data from the Pew Research Center.
The survey, conducted earlier this month, found that 54 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters now view the FBI positively.
That figure represents a sharp increase from just 38 percent in March 2023. The Department of Justice saw a similar jump, with 51 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters holding a favorable view, compared with 40 percent last year.
The data suggest that Trump’s second term has coincided with renewed confidence on the right in institutions that many conservatives had come to distrust during the Biden years.
The president has made it a priority to overhaul the Department of Justice, arguing that it had been “weaponized” by his predecessor. Within weeks of retaking office, Trump signed an executive order aimed at correcting what he called “past misconduct” and restoring public trust in the department.
Democrats, for their part, have accused Trump of turning the DOJ into a tool for pursuing his political enemies. But the Pew numbers indicate that Republican voters are responding positively to his efforts, even as overall public trust in the agencies has declined.
Among all respondents, favorability toward the FBI slipped from 52 percent in March 2023 to 48 percent in the latest survey. Approval of the DOJ saw a steeper drop, falling from 49 percent to just 39 percent over the same period. The divide underscores how differently Republicans and Democrats are viewing the administration’s approach.
The Pew survey was conducted between Aug. 4 and 10, with a sample of 3,554 people and a margin of error of plus or minus 1.8 percentage points. For the FBI question, 1,770 people were surveyed, with a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points. A nearly identical number, 1,784, were asked about the DOJ. Of those, at least 789 Republicans or Republican-leaning voters were included, with a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.
The rise in Republican confidence comes after years of strained relations between conservatives and federal law enforcement. In 2023, GOP trust in the FBI and DOJ reached some of its lowest levels in modern history, following controversies over investigations into Trump allies and complaints of political bias within the agencies. Now, just months into Trump’s second term, the rebound is notable.
While Democrats point to the president’s restructuring of the DOJ as a troubling sign of politicization, Republicans argue that the shift marks a long-overdue correction. For them, Trump’s willingness to confront entrenched bureaucracies has been central to restoring accountability.
The polling results show a nation divided not only by party but by perceptions of the very institutions tasked with enforcing federal law. For Republicans, however, Trump’s return has signaled a turning point: a chance to reclaim trust in agencies they once saw as hostile.
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