Confidence in the Supreme Court's decision-making is declining among Americans, according to a Washington Post-Ipsos poll conducted in early July 2026. The survey found that 46 percent of adults believe the justices are influenced by political ideology rather than the rule of law, particularly regarding rulings on Trump administration policies.

Only one-quarter of respondents said the court rules based on the law, while nearly 30 percent expressed no opinion. Among those who view the justices' political views as decisive, about two-thirds said the court's rulings mainly favored former President Trump, with 17 percent saying the rulings mainly opposed him. Another 17 percent believe the rulings neither favor nor disfavor the president.

The Supreme Court concluded its term at the end of June 2026 with significant decisions that expanded presidential authority to remove heads of independent agencies, permitted immigration officers to turn back asylum seekers at the southern border, authorized ending deportation protections for thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants, and upheld statewide bans on transgender athletes in schools.

Overall, 55 percent of Americans disapprove of the Supreme Court's performance, compared to 41 percent who approve. About two-thirds of respondents approve of the court's 6-3 conservative majority, but three-quarters of Democrats and nearly 60 percent of independents disapprove.

During budget testimony on Capitol Hill on July 18, 2026, Justice Barrett emphasized the need for the court to demonstrate moral understanding and public accountability, stating, “I think we have to demonstrate at every turn that we are understanding of the kind of morality that we need to have, and that we need to demonstrate to the public about how important we take the roles that we have, and that we’re not somehow abridging the system or abusing the system.”