Confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court has fallen to its lowest point in at least 26 years, according to a new NBC News poll of 1,000 registered voters conducted from February 27 to March 3. Just 22 percent of respondents said they had a 'great deal' or 'quite a bit' of confidence in the court, down from 29 percent in 2024 and well below the previous low of 27 percent in 2022 following the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.

The decline crossed party lines. Among Democrats, only 9 percent expressed high confidence, similar to recent lows. Republicans saw a sharper drop, with 35 percent reporting high confidence compared to 53-55 percent in 2024 polls after the court's immunity ruling for former President Donald Trump. Independents stood at 24 percent. Meanwhile, 38 percent of voters had very little or no confidence, and 40 percent had some confidence. The poll carried a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Pollsters attributed the erosion to a series of high-profile rulings without sustaining public respect. Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt, who conducted the survey with Republican pollster Public Opinion Strategies, stated, 'It’s one thing to make controversial rulings that one party may or may not like but maintain respect and confidence. What we are seeing is quite the opposite.'

The poll came shortly after the court's February 20, 6-3 decision striking down many of President Trump's tariffs. A majority of voters, 54 percent, approved of that ruling, while 27 percent disapproved. The decision marked a rare loss for the Trump administration, which had prevailed in 20 of 24 shadow docket cases in 2025. Trump publicly criticized the conservative majority, calling the justices 'incompetent' and expressing shame over their ruling. He warned on Truth Social that the court risked leading the U.S. to hell' and labeled the decision 'ridiculous, dumb, and very internationally divisive.'

This latest reading continues a downward trend. Gallup reported Supreme Court approval at 42 percent in 2025, with historical lows around 25 percent confidence in 2022. A Pew Research Center survey in August 2025 found 50 percent of Americans viewing the court unfavorably, near historic lows and 22 points below 2020 levels, with Democrats at 26 percent favorable and Republicans at 71 percent.

Other factors include rulings on abortion, gun rights, LGBTQ issues, immigration, and a June 2025 decision limiting nationwide injunctions against executive policies. The court is set to hear oral arguments on April 1 in a birthright citizenship case, which could further strain relations with the administration.

Gallup's broader 2024 poll showed judicial system confidence at a record-low 35 percent overall.