---
title: "IRS viewed least favorably among federal agencies"
description: "The IRS was rated less favorably than any of the other federal agencies tested in a new Pew Research survey; 51% had a negative opinion."
date: "2013-10-21"
authors:
  - name: "Bruce Drake"
    job_title: "Former Senior Editor"
    link: "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/bruce-drake/"
url: "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/short-reads/2013/10/21/irs-viewed-least-favorably-among-federal-agencies/"
---

# IRS viewed least favorably among federal agencies

While a [Pew Research survey](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2013/10/18/trust-in-government-nears-record-low-but-most-federal-agencies-are-viewed-favorably/#federal-agencies) conducted this month found public trust in the federal government nearing a record low, most Americans have a favorable view of many government agencies and departments and also regard federal workers positively.

Except for the Internal Revenue Service.

[![DN_Most_Agencies](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2013/10/DN_Most_Agencies.png)](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2013/10/18/trust-in-government-nears-record-low-but-most-federal-agencies-are-viewed-favorably/#federal-agencies)

Nine of the 13 federal agencies and institutions included in the survey are viewed favorably by 60% or more of the public. But among all of them, the IRS was the only one rated more unfavorably than favorably by the public, with 51% expressing a negative view compared with 44% who had a favorable one.

By comparison, five agencies received favorable ratings from two-thirds or more of the public: The Centers for Disease Control, or CDC (75% favorable), NASA (73%), the Defense Department (72%), the Veterans Administration (68%) and the Department of Homeland Security (66%).

Republicans have the least favorable views of the IRS, with only 23% regarding it positively. That compares with 65% of Democrats and 40% of independents.

Tea Party Republicans are the most highly critical of the IRS. (Last May, the agency [faced controversy](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2013/05/20/partisan-interest-reactions-to-irs-and-ap-controversies/) over reports that it targeted some conservative organizations seeking tax-exempt status). While 65% of non-Tea Party Republicans rated the IRS unfavorably, that number rose to 82% for Tea party Republicans.