New Survey Finds Sharp Political Divide in American Pride Ahead of Nation’s 250th Anniversary

A new national survey shows that Americans remain deeply divided over how proud they feel about their country, with political affiliation playing a major role in those views. The findings come as the United States prepares to mark its 250th anniversary, highlighting the different ways people across the country see America today.

According to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll, 65% of Americans said they are either “very proud” or “proud” to be an American. At the same time, 35% said they are either “not very proud” or “not proud at all.” The survey provides a snapshot of public opinion just before the nation’s milestone anniversary celebrations.

The poll shows a significant gap between Democrats, Republicans, and independents when it comes to national pride. Among Republicans, 93% said they are proud or very proud to be Americans. Independents reported lower levels of pride, with 61% expressing positive feelings about the country. Democrats recorded the lowest number, with only 45% saying they are proud or very proud to be Americans.

The results suggest that political identity continues to shape how many people view the country. While a majority of Americans overall still express pride in being American, the difference between political groups remains substantial.

The survey also asked Americans how closely they believe the country reflects the ideals on which it was founded. Nearly half of those surveyed, 47%, said they believe the United States has moved far away from its founding principles. Another 36% said the country has somewhat moved away from those ideals. Only 16% believe the nation still represents its original founding values and principles.

These responses indicate that many Americans, regardless of political background, feel the country has changed significantly from its original vision. However, the poll did not explore the specific reasons behind those opinions.

The NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll was conducted between June 8 and June 11 and included responses from 1,340 adults across the United States. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

The findings closely match results from several other recent national surveys that have measured public attitudes toward patriotism and national pride.

A Gallup poll released earlier in the week also reported a strong political divide. That survey found that 70% of Republicans described themselves as having extreme pride in America. Among independents, the figure dropped to 28%, while only 14% of Democrats said they felt extreme pride.

Another national survey conducted by AP-NORC found that fewer than half of Americans are extremely or very proud of several important parts of the country, including its history, economic achievements, popular culture, and the way democracy functions. Compared with a similar survey conducted in 2017, levels of pride declined across several categories. Pride in the nation’s armed forces fell from 78% to 59%, pride in American history declined from 58% to 44%, confidence in democracy dropped from 42% to 28%, and pride in America’s political influence around the world decreased from 34% to 24%.

An NBC News survey released in June also reflected lower levels of national pride compared with results recorded during President Donald Trump’s first term in 2017. In that poll, 33% of respondents said they were “extremely proud” to be American, while another 23% described themselves as “very proud.” Meanwhile, 21% said they were only a little proud or not proud at all.

Not every recent survey reached the same conclusion. A Fox News poll conducted last week found that 53% of voters said they are proud of the United States today. In the same survey, 70% described themselves as very or extremely patriotic, while 47% said they are not proud of the country.

Taken together, the latest polling shows that Americans continue to hold widely different opinions about their country, especially across political parties. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, questions about patriotism, national identity, and the country’s direction remain topics that divide public opinion. While most Americans still say they are proud to be American, the surveys show that the level of pride varies considerably depending on political affiliation and personal views about how closely the nation reflects its founding principles.

Sources

• NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll
• Gallup
• AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research
• NBC News
• Fox News