Public approval ratings of the United States Supreme Court have decreased significantly during the tenure of Justice Clarence Thomas.

While public approval of the Supreme Court has reached historic lows, attributing this long-term trend specifically to the tenure of Justice Clarence Thomas oversimplifies complex institutional factors including political polarization, shifts in the Court's composition, and broader societal trends.

At a glance

Key Evidence

Verified September 28, 2026

Public approval of the Supreme Court has reached historic lows, but experts attribute this primarily to institutional polarization and controversy surrounding recent high-profile rulings rather than the tenure of a single justice.
Justice Clarence Thomas has experienced a decline in personal favorability ratings, a trend that coincides with heightened public scrutiny regarding his conduct and judicial ethics.

The reporting

What the Evidence Shows

Public approval ratings for the Supreme Court have indeed experienced a marked decline in recent years, falling to record lows according to Gallup polling. While it is accurate that Justice Clarence Thomas has faced increased personal scrutiny during his lengthy tenure, particularly regarding ethical concerns, luxury travel, and his wife's political activities, polling and political analysts widely attribute the Court's diminishing institutional standing to a variety of systemic pressures.

These include a rise in national political polarization, a growing partisan gap in how the public perceives judicial decisions, and concerns regarding the Court's perceived impartiality and transparency following major rulings.washingtonpost.com news.gallup.com +2 more