Survey Exposes ‘Deep State’ Resistance Within Federal Bureaucracy Under Trump
When Donald Trump warns about the “deep state,” a new survey sheds light on exactly what he means—and the numbers are striking.
According to research released by the Napolitan Institute and reported by The Daily Caller, a significant majority of federal employees who support Democrats—and who voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris—say they would actively resist or ignore legal orders from President Trump if they believed it was “best” for the country.
The data paints a clear picture: 76% of Harris voters working within the federal government under Trump say they plan to resist his agenda, and 75% admit they would disobey legal directives they personally disagreed with. “Our research confirms that the Administrative State is not composed of thoughtful, nonpartisan experts making neutral decisions,” said Scott Rasmussen, founder of the Napolitan Institute. “The deep partisan divide within the federal bureaucracy and the shifting public opinion present significant challenges for the current administration.”
The Institute’s report—“The Resistance: The First 100 Days”—describes a federal workforce more polarized than ever. It suggests that the so-called “Administrative State” has become an ideological battlefield rather than a neutral governing force. The study’s findings were drawn from surveys conducted in March 2025, just two months into Trump’s second term.
One particularly revealing poll question asked respondents to imagine leading a federal agency and receiving a legal but controversial directive from President Trump. Would they follow it, or do what they thought was best?
Among Harris supporters, a staggering 75% said they’d follow their own judgment instead of the president’s order. Another 9% were unsure. Only 16% said they’d follow the president’s directive. In stark contrast, 80% of Trump voters said they would carry out the order even if they personally disagreed, while 18% admitted they’d defy it.
The survey, conducted among 500 senior federal officials living in the D.C. area and earning over $75,000 annually, carries a margin of error of 4%. The findings underscore what Rasmussen calls a “civil war within the bureaucracy.”
Yet amid the dysfunction, Rasmussen offers a glimmer of hope: “The silver lining is that, in this chaotic environment, the voice of common sense and the American people may finally rise above the political noise and reassert itself in shaping the nation’s future.”
Further polling by RMG Research in January 2025 revealed similar sentiments. That survey found 42% of D.C.-based federal employees earning over $75,000 planned to oppose Trump’s administration from within the government.
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa weighed in on the findings: “Bureaucracy is the real threat to democracy,” she told The Daily Signal. “The bureaucrat class has forgotten that their job is to serve the American people, and I am happy to help remind them. Federal employees are paid by taxpayers to work for taxpayers. They can either do their job—or find another.”
