Edelman, a leading global communications marketing firm, publishes a yearly "Trust Barometer" report. A recent report (2018) shows a plummet in trust across the United States. Here's a summary of the report:

• Trust in the US has suffered the largest-ever-recorded drop in the survey's history among the general population. Trust among the general population fell nine points to 43 percent, placing it in the lower quarter of the 28-country Trust Index.
• The collapse of trust in the US is driven by a staggering lack of faith in government, which fell 14 points to 33 percent.
• The remaining institutions of business, media, and NGOs also experienced declines of 10 to 20 points.

"The United States is enduring an unprecedented crisis of trust," said Richard Edelman, president and CEO of Edelman. "This is the first time that a massive drop in trust has not been linked to a pressing economic issue or catastrophe … In fact, it's the ultimate irony that it's happening at a time of prosperity, with the stock market and employment rates in the US at record highs."