Pew Research: Most Americans Say We Can’t Even Agree on Basic Facts

A staggering 80% of U.S. adults say Republican and Democratic voters not only disagree on policies—but also can’t agree on basic facts, according to Pew Research Center’s latest survey. This overwhelming bipartisan consensus reflects a deepening crisis in American civic life: even our understanding of truth has become partisan.

This trend isn’t new. Back in 2016, during the Clinton-Trump election, 81% of voters said the same. Nearly a decade later, very little has changed—if anything, the divide is more entrenched.

What’s driving the breakdown? Among those who say the parties can’t agree on basic facts:

• 67% blame partisan interpretation—voters looking at the same facts and reaching different conclusions.

• 53% blame separate information ecosystems—Democrats and Republicans consuming entirely different sets of news and data.

Democrats are slightly more likely than Republicans to say separate information sources are a major factor (60% vs. 47%), but both sides largely agree on the problem’s existence.

This growing “fact gap” comes amid worsening polarization, divergent media habits, and rising distrust in institutions. It also makes democratic debate harder, fuels disinformation, and undermines efforts to build consensus on urgent issues—from healthcare and civil rights to climate and the economy.

Pew’s findings underscore a key challenge: without a shared baseline of truth, democracy becomes unmoored. As we approach 2026 midterms, closing that gap—and rebuilding public trust in facts—may be one of the most important civic projects of our time.