US support for LGBTQ+ rights drops to pre-Trump levels

Public support for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States has receded to levels comparable to those before Donald Trump first entered the White House, a new Gallup poll reveals. The survey indicates a notable decline in acceptance of key LGBTQ+ issues, including same-sex marriage and homosexual relations.

According to the annual survey conducted in May 2026, only 65% of Americans now believe same-sex marriage is valid, a six-point decrease from the peak observed in 2022 and 2023. This figure closely mirrors the support level recorded in 2017, the year Trump began his first term.

The trend extends to the moral acceptability of homosexual relations, with agreement dropping to 62%, a nine-point decline from 2022. Acceptance of gender transition has also seen a significant decrease, with only 38% of respondents approving, eight points lower than five years ago when Gallup first posed the question.

The poll highlights a stark partisan divide, with Republicans showing the most significant drop in acceptance. Only 35% of Republicans now find same-sex relations morally acceptable, down from 56% in 2022. Conversely, Democratic voters remain the strongest supporters, though even their approval has slightly decreased. The survey suggests that the political climate and specific policies enacted during Trump's presidency, particularly those targeting the transgender community, may have accelerated this decline in support.