Americans Overwhelmingly Support Science, but Some Think the U.S. Is Lagging

Summary

January 15, 20263 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmAmericans Overwhelmingly Support Science, but Some Think the U.S. Is Lagging BehindA new report finds that a majority of Americans think the U.S. should be a world leader in science, but Democrats increasingly believe other countries are catching upBy Claire Cameron edited by Jeanna Bryner Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers / Contributor via Getty ImagesAmericans are proud of their country’s science prowess: a majority believe it is important for the U.S. to be a world leader in science, according to the Pew Research Center’s latest report on trust in science.The number of people who hold this view is five percentage points higher than it was in 2023, the last time Pew asked the same question, according to data from more than 5,000 people surveyed in October 2025.But people who voted Democratic in the 2024 presidential election tended to hold a very different view than Republican voters on whether the country is living up to its promise. Between 2023 and 2025, the proportion of Democrats who believe that the U.S. is losing ground in science compared with other countries jumped by 28 percentage points. About two thirds of Democrats now hold this view.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Republicans are more positive about the country’s standing in science—a complete switch in sentiment since the last time Pew asked this question, says Brian Kennedy, one of the authors of the new report and a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center. And the split between both groups is far wider than it was at previous times when Pew asked the same question in the past five years, he says.In 2022 and 2023 the difference between Democratic and Republican opinion was “far more modest,” Kennedy says...