Americans Losing Trust After Public Health Leadership Shakeups

A new national poll from Harvard and the de Beaumont Foundation finds that recent federal leadership changes have deepened Americans’ mistrust in public health—especially among Democrats—while bolstering confidence for many Republicans. Despite this divide, there’s broad bipartisan agreement on key public health priorities, including reducing chronic disease, improving maternal health, addressing mental illness, and preparing for future pandemics.

The findings highlight a crucial opportunity for communicators: to reinforce shared values, emphasize evidence-based messaging, and remain vigilant against politicization. As new “fault lines” in trust emerge, communicators must play a central role in rebuilding confidence and promoting unified public health action. Read the full article from University of Minnesota here.