Americans Prioritize Democracy, Accountability, and Facts

Americans Seek Balance of Power and Accountability in Government While Prioritizing Democratic Principles and Fact-Based Decisions.

Topline Findings

May 29, 2026 – A new survey from The Online Courtroom Project, with data collection by Ipsos, reveals that most Americans (55%) prefer equal power distribution among the three main governmental branches, with opinions split on each of the branches, particularly about U.S. Congress' independence and the Supreme Court's decision-making influences. The majority (58%) believe the Supreme Court should consider people's impact in decision-making, and most favor democratic rule (81%) over authoritarian governance. Additionally, most Americans (82%) demand factual reasoning for government decisions, expressing dissatisfaction with Congress (51%) and President Trump's (53%) actions not aligning with their best interests.

Detailed Findings

1. Most Americans (55%) feel the three main areas of government should share equal power.

• The rest feel each of the following should have the more power than their counterparts: Congress 20%, the President 17%, and Judges 9%.
• Almost three in five (58%) feel Congress is somewhat or completely controlled by President Trump as compared with two in five (42%) who are of the opinion that Congress is somewhat or completely independent of President Trump.
• One in three (31%) think the Supreme Court makes decisions only on the law, while 36% state the Supreme Court makes decisions mainly on the law, but is somewhat influenced by what President Trump wants. The remaining one in three think the Supreme Court makes decisions mainly on what President Trump wants, but also considering the law (23%) or makes decisions only on what President Trump wants (10%).

2. The job of upholding the Constitution varies from leaning toward good or bad depending on the individual or group performing the job.

• The Supreme Court is seen by more Americans as doing a good (very + somewhat) (43%) rather than a bad (very + somewhat) (34%) job of upholding the Constitution.
• An equal proportion think Democratic members of Congress do either a good (37%) or bad (38%) job of upholding the Constitution, while more feel Republican members of Congress do a bad job (49%) than a good job (34%) .
• Roughly half (51%) of survey participants think President Trump does a bad job upholding the constitution (40% very bad job + 11% somewhat bad job) as compared with 35% who feel he does a good job.

3. The majority (58%) of Americans surveyed are of the opinion the Supreme Court should consider how its decisions will affect people and the way they live their lives rather than only consider the Constitution and existing law (42%) in its decisions.

• Just over two-thirds (68%) think the Supreme Court makes decisions according to the Constitution and established law as opposed to their personal beliefs (32%).

4. Views on activities that fall under the Fourteenth & Fourth Amendments to the Constitution vary.

• While more than half (56%) of the Americans surveyed think President Trump should not be able to suspend or stop due process rights under any circumstances, 36% feel it is acceptable in limited circumstances (such as threats to national security) and 8% feel it he should be able to do it in all circumstances.
• Nearly one in three Americans (27%) think ICE should be able to deport anyone they believe to be a national security threat without a court hearing and one in five (21%) feel birthright citizens should have fewer rights than U.S. citizens whose parents are U.S. citizens.
• After being told the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution requires the government to get warrants or permission from judges supported by evidence before they can search and take items from a home or business, 71% think the government should only search and seize with a warrant from a judge, 24% feel it is acceptable if they reasonably believe there is a possible crime, and 5% feel the government’s ability to search and take items from a home or business for any reason is acceptable.

5. Americans have differing opinions about the legal rights various groups should have, depending on the particular group.

• 64% feel S. citizens should have better (slightly + moderately + much better) legal rights than non-citizens; 36% feel rights should be the same.
• 17% believe straight people should have at least slightly better legal rights than LGBTQ people; 83% feel rights should be the same.
• 11% feel people with more money should have at least slightly better legal rights than those with less money; 89% feel rights should be the same.
• Nine percent feel men should have at least slightly better rights than women; 91% feel rights should be the same.
• Nine percent feel white people should have at least slightly better rights than people of color; 91% feel rights should be the same.

6. Various views are held on Presidential Power.

• Two-thirds (67%) of Americans think President Trump should use executive orders only to make sure the laws passed by Congress are carried out.
• Nearly four in five (78%) feel it is appropriate for a President to order the use of military force on U.S. citizens, depending on the situation ranging from extreme emergencies when a state requests help from the President (36%) to an armed insurrection against the government (30%) to whenever the President thinks it is necessary (13%).
• Two in five (40%) feel a President should have limited immunity for a President’s official duties, 45% feel a President should have no immunity, be held to the same laws as any person, and 15% think a President should have complete immunity for all actions and conduct while in office.
• The majority (86%) feel President Trump should be required to follow court rulings which he does not believe are correct.
• Nearly three-quarters of Americans (72%) feel judges who have ruled against President Trump’s policies are trying to apply the law fairly, regardless of politics.
• While 83% of Americans surveyed are of the opinion President Trump should obey all laws, even if he sees them as improper or unjust, 17% feel he should be able to change laws he sees as improper or unjust.

7. Americans have distinct opinions on various U.S. Government Agencies.

• Four in five (81%) feel the FBI should independently investigate people or organizations they consider to be a threat without President Trump’s direction or control.
• More than four in five (84%) believe the Department of Justice should independently prosecute people or organizations they believe have committed a crime without President Trump’s direction or control.
• Nearly nine in ten (86%) feel ICE (U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement) should be able to use violent or deadly force only when they believe their physical safety or lives are in danger, as opposed to whenever they feel they are being stopped or prevented from doing their jobs (14%).

8. Americans are split on the subject of declaration of war and military actions with 50% stating the President should be able to order lethal military actions against countries or people he believes are enemies or threats to the U.S. only with congressional approval versus 38% who feel the President should do so only in emergencies and 12% who feel the President can order lethal military actions under any circumstances.

• When asked specifically about recently ordered bombings in Iran and drone strikes on boats in Venezuela without Congress’ approval, 71% of Americans believe President Trump must get Congress’ approval before ordering military actions like bombings and drone strikes in other countries and 29% feel President Trump should be able to order military actions such as bombing and drone strikes in other countries without Congress’ approval.

9. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution: Nearly three-quarters (74%) of Americans believe a) the government should NOT be able to restrict speech it believes is harmful, b) the government should NOT be able to restrict the press for any reason, and c) Christianity or any particular religion should not be the primary religion promoted by the United States government.

10. Roughly seven in ten (73%) feel the states, rather than the federal government, should control election procedures in their own states.

11. Democratic rule is favored over authoritarian rule. After being provided a description of authoritarian government, 61% of Americans strongly favor democratic rule, 20% somewhat favor democratic rule, 12% somewhat favor authoritarian rule, and 6% strongly favor authoritarian rule.

12. Four in five (82%) Americans feel factual or scientific reasoning should be provided for actions taken by the Trump administration, such as health care, education and climate change.

13. Americans do not feel the U.S. Congress and President Trump are acting in their best interests and what is important to them.

• More than twice as many feel the U.S. Congress does a somewhat or very bad job (51%) than a somewhat or very good job (24%) in making laws and passing bills that are in their best interests and what is important to them.
• While not as extreme a difference as the Congress, more (53%) feel President Trump is doing a bad (very + somewhat bad) job than a good (very + somewhat good) job (34%) at acting in their best interests and what is important to them.
• Survey respondents feel they or people in their lives are impacted a lot or a great deal by President Trump’s actions (60%), laws passed by U.S. Congress (50%), and decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court (44%).

These are findings of The Online Courtroom Project survey, with data collection provided by Ipsos, conducted between March 13 – March 26, 2026. For this survey, a nationally representative sample of 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18 and older were surveyed online in English. The results of this research have a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points for all respondents.

For full results, please refer to the following annotated questionnaire: