As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, a new Gallup poll has documented a significant decline in national pride among Americans. The survey found that only 14 percent of Democrats describe themselves as “extremely proud” to be American, compared with 70 percent of Republicans.
Overall, just 33 percent of all Americans report feeling “extremely proud” about their nation—the lowest level recorded since Gallup began tracking this metric in 2001. In that year, 54 percent of Democrats described themselves as “extremely proud,” compared to 64 percent of Republicans.
The trend has continued into 2024, with only 34 percent of Democrats expressing strong patriotic pride under former President Joe Biden, while 58 percent of Republicans hold the same view. The peak for American patriotism occurred in 2003, when 70 percent of respondents reported feeling “extremely proud” about their country.
The poll also revealed a sharp decline in trust in key institutions. Only 27 percent of Americans express confidence in the Supreme Court and a mere 10 percent trust Congress—figures that represent a significant drop from 2002 levels when 50 percent trusted the Supreme Court and 29 percent trusted Congress.
The data suggests that partisan identity may be more influential than electoral outcomes in shaping self-reported patriotism, as Democrats consistently show lower levels of patriotic pride even when Democrats hold the presidency. This trend is likely to come into sharper focus as the nation prepares for its bicentennial anniversary on July 4.
A separate YouGov poll conducted earlier this month found similar patterns: only eight percent of Democrats regard the United States as “the greatest” country on Earth, while 26 percent of liberals described their nation as “worse than average.” By contrast, 53 percent of conservatives view the U.S. as the world’s most influential nation.
