Patriotic pride in U.S. history and democracy wanes, new polls reveal

Recent AP-NORC and Gallup surveys show a notable drop in Americans’ pride in the nation’s history, democracy and military, with the decline driven largely by Democrats.

Two recent surveys indicate a broad erosion of patriotic sentiment in the United States. The AP-NORC poll, conducted in mid-April, shows confidence in the country’s democratic system falling from 42% in early 2017 to 28% now, alongside similar declines in pride for the military and historical narrative. Gallup’s latest data reveal that just over half of Americans—53%—are “extremely” or “very” proud to be American, the lowest figure recorded since the series began in 2001.

The decline is driven chiefly by Democratic respondents, with only 14% of them expressing strong pride, while 70% of Republicans maintain high levels of national pride. Interviews with a California Democrat, a Texas Republican, and a Massachusetts centrist highlight how partisanship and personal background shape attitudes toward the nation, even as many still view American identity as central to their self-concept. The polls were carried out among a representative sample of 2,596 adults using NORC’s AmeriSpeak panel, with a margin of error of ±2.6 points.