VA Says Veteran Trust Hit an All-Time High. Here Is What the Survey Measures, How It Has Changed, and the Questions Worth Asking.

Published Jul 31, 2026, 11:19 AM EDT

A VA survey found that 82% of veterans reported trust in the department.

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Published Jul 31, 2026, 11:19 AM EDT

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced this year that overall trust in the department had reached an all-time high. According to the department’s quarterly Veteran Trust survey, 82% of veterans who used VA services during the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 — October through December 2025 — reported that they trusted VA to fulfill the nation's commitment to them. That was the highest figure recorded since the survey began in 2016, when the baseline trust score was 55 percent. Trust in VA outpatient health care specifically was even higher in that same survey period, with 93.6% of veterans reporting they trust VA for their health care needs. "Veterans First isn't a slogan, it's a promise — and it starts with listening," said VA Secretary Doug Collins in the April 2026 news release announcing the survey results.