Specifying Trust in Government and its Impact on Support for War.

Nationwide panel surveys of Americans during the last three years of the George W. Bush Administration demonstrate that the level of public trust in the national government has a significant impact on the public's perceptions of threats posed by terrorism and its support for national counter-terrorism policies, including the war in Iraq. These effects vary depending on whether "trust in the government" is defined in terms of trust in the objectivity and truthfulness of the information it provides, trust in the integrity of national politicians not to exploit that information for political or partisan purposes, or trust in the efficacy government policy. Unpacking the concept of trust in government helps to clarify the conditions under which changes in trust are likely to affect the government's ability to shape public opinion and mobilize public support for its policy initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]