‘Bu tüm Amerikalıları ilgilendirmeli ': Amerika'da % 89' unun hemfikir olduğu büyük kırmızı bayrak ortaya çıkıyor — paranız güvende mi?

‘This ought to concern all Americans’: Major red flag emerges in America that 89% agree on — is your money safe?

Jing Pan

Fri, September 11, 2026 at 2:15 PM GMT+3 8 min read

Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.

At a time when Americans struggle to agree on almost anything, getting nearly nine out of 10 people on the same side of an issue is no small feat.

But the subject bringing Democrats, Republicans and independents together is hardly cause for celebration.

Top Picks

Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
A record 45% of central banks plan to grow gold reserves — and many investors are following suit. Get your free gold IRA guide from Priority Gold
A single line on your car insurance policy could be inflating your premium by up to 30% — here's what to change

A record 89% of U.S. adults now believe corruption is widespread in the government, according to a new Gallup report (1).

The finding caught the attention of Senator John Cornyn of Texas.

"This ought to concern all Americans," the Republican lawmaker warned (2) on X, sharing Gallup's report.

And the sheer scale of the distrust makes it difficult to dismiss as ordinary partisan frustration.

A rare point of agreement

The 89% reading is the highest Gallup has recorded in the U.S. in 20 years. It jumped 10 percentage points in just one year and sits well above the 72% to 79% range recorded between 2010 and 2025.

Even more striking is how broadly the concern cuts across party lines.

Among Democrats, 91% now say government corruption is widespread. Independents are close behind at 90%, while 83% of Republicans agree.

The parties may not blame the same people — or even define the problem in the same way — but the underlying conclusion is remarkably similar: Americans across the political spectrum believe something is deeply wrong in Washington.

Democrats have registered the sharpest shift. In 2024, during former President Joe Biden's final year in office, 57% said corruption was widespread. That figure climbed to 76% in the first year of President Donald Trump's second term before surging to 91% in 2026.

Republican views have been more consistent. Roughly eight in 10 have described corruption as widespread over the past two years, broadly in line with the 87% recorded in 2024.

Gallup therefore cautioned that the two parties are likely reaching the same conclusion for different reasons. Democratic perceptions appear to move more sharply depending on who controls the White House, while Republican concern seems to reflect a more entrenched distrust of government itself.

Either way, the end result is what Gallup described as a rare form of bipartisan "shared alarm."

America is breaking away from its peers

The numbers look even more troubling when the U.S. is compared with other advanced economies.

Across the 38 members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the median share of people who viewed corruption as widespread in their government fell from 69% in 2009 to below 60% after 2022.

In 2025, the OECD median stood at 59%. The U.S. reading was already 79% at the time — placing America at the top of the pack for the first time ever.

Gallup has not yet completed its 2026 polling across every OECD country, so a direct comparison with America's new 89% reading is not available. But the gap could now be even wider.

America's result also stands out globally. Of the 132 countries where Gallup has asked the question annually since 2023, only four have recently registered readings above America's current 89%: Lebanon and Peru at 92%, and Ghana and Nigeria at 90%.

Importantly, those numbers measure public perception, not confirmed incidents of corruption.

But trust matters.

When confidence in government collapses, every major decision — from taxes and spending to regulation, trade and retirement programs — can become another source of uncertainty. That uncertainty can influence businesses, financial markets and the long-term plans of ordinary households.

You may not be able to restore Americans' faith in Washington. But you can take steps to ensure your financial future does not depend entirely on politicians, government programs or any single institution.

Here are a couple of ways to protect your money amid America's growing crisis of confidence.

Hedge against political uncertainty

Gold has long attracted investors during periods of political turmoil and declining trust in institutions.

Its appeal is simple: Unlike fiat currencies, the yellow metal can't be printed at will by governments or central banks. This inherently limited supply can help it store value.

Gold is also considered the ultimate safe haven. It's not tied to any one country, currency or economy, and in times of economic downturns or geopolitical uncertainty, investors often flock to it — driving prices higher.

Ray Dalio, founder of the world's largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, has repeatedly highlighted gold's role in a resilient portfolio.

"People don't have, typically, an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio," Dalio told CNBC last year. "When bad times come, gold is a very effective diversifier."

Over the past five years, as inflation continued to chip away at the purchasing power of the dollar, gold has climbed 146% (3).

Other prominent voices see further potential. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has said that in this environment, gold can "easily" rise to $10,000 an ounce.

One way to invest in gold that also provides significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of Priority Gold.

Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, which combines the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it an attractive option for those looking to potentially hedge their retirement funds against economic uncertainty.

To learn more, you can get a free information guide that includes details on how to get up to $10,000 in free silver on qualifying purchases. Just remember that gold is often best used as one part of a well-diversified portfolio.

Look beyond government-issued money

Gold isn't the only asset that appeals to investors who are wary of government control.

Bitcoin was designed to operate without a central authority or bank. Instead, transactions are verified collectively through a decentralized network, meaning no single government, company or individual can control it.

And like gold, Bitcoin can't be created in unlimited quantities. Instead, its supply is capped at 21 million by mathematical algorithms.

That doesn't make Bitcoin immune to regulation — or risk. Cryptocurrencies remain highly volatile, and not everyone has the stomach for such dramatic swings. But for those curious about adding some crypto exposure, getting started has never been easier.

Robinhood Crypto, for instance, lets you buy and sell cryptocurrencies with as little as $1.

With some of the lowest trading costs on average in the U.S., you could end up with up to 2.7% more crypto compared to other platforms.

Robinhood Crypto makes it easy to make investing a habit with recurring buys on a fixed schedule, while giving you access to all your favorite coins — from Bitcoin and Ethereum to Solana, Dogecoin, XRP, and more.

You can also transfer crypto securely to other wallets, set custom price alerts, track market trends, and manage your portfolio all in one place.

Robinhood ensures the security of your cryptocurrency is a top priority, with the majority of coins held in offline cold storage. Robinhood also carries crime insurance against theft and cyber breaches, and 24/7 customer support is available if you need help.

Build a plan that doesn't depend on Washington

Gold and Bitcoin can help diversify your holdings beyond traditional currencies and financial assets. But neither is a complete financial plan on its own.

The right approach depends on your income level, debt obligations, existing investments, retirement timeline and tolerance for risk. And when political and economic uncertainty rises, balancing those priorities can become even more complicated.

That's where professional guidance can help.

With Vanguard, you can connect with a personal advisor who can help assess how you're doing so far and make sure you've got the right portfolio to meet your goals on time.

Vanguard's hybrid advisory system combines advice from professional advisors and automated portfolio management to make sure your investments are working to achieve your financial goals.

All you have to do is fill out a brief questionnaire about your financial goals, and Vanguard's advisors will help you set a tailored plan, and stick to it.

What To Read Next

The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 moves to make before the window closes
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
Millionaires under 43 hold only 32% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going
Dave Ramsey says this 1 indulgent purchase stops Americans from becoming wealthy. Here's what he recommends instead

Get Warren Buffett's best investing lessons, free. Join 250,000 readers getting Moneywise's sharpest money reporting every week. Subscribe and we'll send you our guide to the ideas that built Buffett's fortune as a welcome gift.

Article Sources

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.

Gallup (); @JohnCornyn/ X (); Goldprice ()

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.