CNN’s senior data analyst Harry Enten has revealed that trust in the FBI among the American people has plunged in recent years.
The network’s top pollster documented how Americans have drastically lost trust in the federal agency.
President Donald Trump has nominated former National Security Council official Kash Patel as director of the FBI.
The move has been met with loud protest from many on the Left and some establishment Republicans.
Enten showed that polling in 2014 had found a large majority had faith in the FBI doing a good or excellent job, about 59%.
However, that figure dropped to 57% in 2019.
The number fell again to 50% in 2022 and plunged to a shocking 41% in 2024.
“Look at where we are today, my goodness gracious, just 41% of Americans think the FBI is doing an excellent or good job,” Enten said.
“That is by far the lowest number this century.
“The bottom line is during the Trump administration obviously there were the investigations into Donald Trump.
“You saw a little bit of drop then, and then post-January 6, look at that drop.
“50%, now 41%. My goodness gracious.”
Enten said the low trust in the FBI meant that drastic changes made to the Bureau would likely meet with little resistance.
“I think Patel has real reason to believe that Americans would go along with changes he might potentially make at the FBI,” he explained.
“There’s a reason why Donald Trump feels like he can make this change.”
Despite being excoriated for its investigations into alleged misconduct by Trump, the FBI has been similarly lambasted over an investigation into then-candidate Hillary Clinton ahead of the 2016 election.
Enten revealed the numbers during CNN’s “News Central” on Tuesday.
WATCH:
When he announced his decision for FBI chief, Trump said Patel would tackle human trafficking, immigrant criminal gangs, and a growing crime crisis in the U.S.
“Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People,” he wrote on social media.
“He played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution.”
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