In September 2026, 62% of U.S. adults said they had at least some trust in information from national news organizations—a six-point rise from a year earlier. The increase offers a measured sign of renewed confidence, even as trust remains below its level a decade ago.
The findings come from a Pew Research Center survey of 5,193 U.S. adults, conducted Sept. 14 to 20 through its American Trends Panel. Researchers have asked about trust in news and social media since 2016, making it possible to compare this year’s results with earlier years. The survey found gains for national and local news across both major political groups and most age groups.
Local outlets continue to earn higher trust than national ones. Three-quarters of adults, or 75%, said they had at least some trust in information from local news organizations, up five points since September 2025. That figure is still below the 82% recorded in 2016, but it places local news well ahead of social media as a source people say they trust.
The gains crossed party lines. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, trust in national news rose from 44% in 2025 to 50% in 2026. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, it rose from 69% to 73%. For local news, Republican trust climbed from 64% to 69%, while Democratic trust edged up from 78% to 81%.
The gap between the parties remains clear, especially for national news. But the upward movement in both groups suggests the increase is not limited to one side of the political divide. Within the Republican group, moderate and liberal members were more likely than conservative members to trust national news: 57% compared with 46%. Pew reported no major ideological differences among Democrats, or between the parties in trust of local news and social media.
Younger adults also reported a notable rise in trust in national news. Six in ten adults under 30 said they trusted it at least somewhat, compared with 51% in 2025. Adults 65 and older remained the most trusting age group: 70% expressed some or a lot of trust, up from 62% a year earlier. The survey says trust increased across most age groups, though it does not mean every group now feels the same way about news.
Social media barely moved. Overall, 38% of adults said they had at least some trust in information from social media sites, compared with 37% in 2025. The shares were similar among Democrats, at 40%, and Republicans, at 37%.
The results point to a modest, broad-based improvement in confidence in news organizations, not a return to past highs. Whether the gains continue will become clearer in future surveys. For now, local news holds the stronger position, national news has recovered some ground, and trust in social media remains nearly flat.