Controversies come and go, but without consistent accountability, politicians may not feel pressured to apologize and do better. However, the press must continue to hold them responsible to promote a trustworthy government.
In fact, public trust in the government declined to 17% in September 2025, according to the Pew Research Center. Accountability builds trust and support. But when lies are used to build support, they can blur the lines between truth and information, leaving the public unsure whom to trust when it comes to those in power.
According to Bridgewater State University, the media’s role is to inform the public with honest and accurate information. But today, with misinformation remaining prominent and news outlets focused on who is winning elections, news coverage can become more biased and skewed, making it easier for politicians to avoid accountability.
Without trust or consistent oversight of politicians, policies will not be made in the people’s best interest. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, accountability has become harder to maintain over time. Often, the public lacks crucial information to understand how well officials are doing their jobs.
Such public trust is destroyed when politicians are not held responsible for immoral actions. In fact, according to the Center for American Progress, when there are fewer external and internal checks on those in power, corruption becomes widespread across the government.
Without constant fact-checking and media oversight, unethical behavior becomes normalized and destructive. This makes it more difficult for the public to rely on politicians to act in their best interests, and that is when trust declines.
For example, politicians can get away with more scandals if there is no backlash against them. One instance of this was in 2017 when former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner was sentenced to 21 months in prison after transferring vulgar material to a minor, according to a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice.
While the scandal initially received massive coverage and Weiner faced punishment, news anchors’ attention quickly shifted. Only 15% of people followed the story very closely, while 50% did not follow it closely at all, according to the Pew Research Center.
This demonstrates how media attention can be short-lived with initial pressure on corrupt figures that diminishes over time as fewer people follow the story, weakening accountability.
When conflict about whom to trust occurs, it can make it harder for the public to stay engaged in politics and issues that matter. This is why the media should prioritize exposing controversies and ensuring transparency in government.
Although some may argue that some politicians are being held accountable, accountability can be short-term, and controversies can fade without proper consequences.
The media needs to continue fact-checking and consistently pressure politicians to be transparent, honest, and own up to mistakes so the public can trust the government more. Consistent accountability is key to strengthening democracy. Without it, trust in the government will continue to decline.
