A With Honor-Gallup poll finds 7 in 10 Americans have confidence in military veterans, with trust crossing party lines as a record number of veterans seek Congress.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Americans’ trust in major institutions remains near historic lows, military veterans continue to earn public confidence, according to a new With Honor-Gallup poll.
Seven in 10 U.S. adults say they have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in military veterans, higher than the 61% who express the same confidence in the military as an institution, itself one of the highest-ranked institutions Gallup tracks.
That confidence extends beyond general regard. Seventy-seven percent of Americans say they would trust a person with military experience a great deal or a fair amount to perform well as an elected leader.
Most notably in today’s political climate, that confidence crosses party lines. Ninety-one percent of Republicans, 73% of independents, and 70% of Democrats report trusting veterans as elected officials.
“Despite a deeply polarized political environment, Americans still place extraordinary trust in those who have served,” said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor and author of the New York Times bestseller Courage Can Save US. “That trust was not built on words, but on service, sacrifice, and a commitment to put country before self. At least seven in ten Democrats, independents, and Republicans say the same. Veterans are well-positioned to help bridge our divisions and restore trust in public life.”
The findings arrive as With Honor Action reports that 752 veterans across the political spectrum have run or are running for Congress in the 2026 election cycle, a 47% increase from 2024 and the highest number the organization has tracked since it began monitoring veteran candidates in 2018.
More than half of Americans (55%) say military service makes someone more prepared for elected office, while just 7% say it makes someone less prepared. In a separate 2025 With Honor-Gallup survey, 55% also said a candidate’s military experience would make them more likely to vote for that person.
The findings underscore the enduring confidence Americans place in military veterans, even as trust in many of the nation’s institutions continues to decline.
Read about the full findings from Gallup here.
Courage Can Save US is available at CourageCanSaveUS.com.
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With Honor Action fights polarization in Congress by supporting principled veterans across party lines who pledge to serve with integrity, civility, and courage. With Honor Action works alongside the bipartisan For Country Caucus in Congress to pass critical legislation for our nation. With Honor Action is a 501(c)(4), which serves as the organization’s policy and social-welfare arm. With Honor has an affiliated federally registered “super PAC” called With Honor Fund III. Learn more about our work at WithHonor.org.
Results for the confidence question are based on telephone interviews conducted June 1-15, 2026, with a random sample of 1,001 U.S. adults (±4 percentage points, 95% confidence level). Results on veterans as elected officials are based on web surveys conducted June 1-15, 2026, with 2,043 members of the Gallup Panel™ (±3 percentage points, 95% confidence level).