Support for legal same-sex marriage in the US has declined to about 65%, down from a peak of around 71% in 2022 and 2023, according to Gallup data released in May 2026 [1, 2]. The drop is largely driven by a sharp fall in Republican support, which fell to 37% in 2026 from roughly 55% in 2021 and 2022 [1, 3, 2]. Jeffrey Jones, Gallup's senior editor, said, "And then, it kind of changed — and I think certainly [the] 2024 campaign could have been part of this" [3].

Moral acceptance of gay and lesbian relationships among all US adults also declined, falling to 62% in 2026 from 71% in 2022 [1, 2]. Among Republicans, moral acceptance dropped to about 35% in 2026, down from higher levels in previous years [1, 2]. By contrast, Democrats maintained strong support and acceptance, with about 87% supporting legal same-sex marriage and 81% viewing gay and lesbian relations as morally acceptable [1, 2]. Independents showed moderate declines, with 67% supporting marriage rights and 64% morally accepting gay relationships [2].

Public acceptance of gender transition has also declined over the past five years, with only 38% now viewing it as morally acceptable [2].

Since the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide on June 26, 2015, support among US adults had steadily grown. In 1996, only about 27% supported same-sex marriage nationally, rising to around 70% in the early 2020s before recent declines [1, 3, 2]. More than 800,000 married same-sex couples lived in the US as of 2025, according to UCLA's Williams Institute [1].

Last year, the Supreme Court rejected a challenge seeking to overturn the 2015 ruling without comment [1, 3]. Still, Republican politicians and some conservative groups continue to push bans on same-sex marriage and efforts to prompt Supreme Court reconsideration [1, 3]. Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for LGBTQ+ Rights, said, "And it is devastating to see any of that ground being lost again" [3].

The decline in Republican backing may be related to the political climate surrounding the 2024 election cycle and policies during former President Trump’s tenure [3].

The latest Gallup poll data was collected in May 2026 and reflects the current attitudes across political groups toward same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ issues in the United States [1, 2].