US pride tanks to 25-year low, just 53% proud to be an American: Gallup poll
The poll finds that much of the decline in patriotic sentiment stems from Democrats.
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The poll finds that much of the decline in patriotic sentiment stems from Democrats.
As America nears its 250th birthday, polling by Gallup finds that its citizens are growing less proud of their country.
According to a new Gallup poll, just 53 percent of all adults are "very" or "extremely" proud to be American, which is the lowest point dating back to 2001. The remaining share of adults in the poll said they were "moderately proud" (22 percent), "only a little proud" (15 percent), or "not proud at all" (9 percent).
According to another survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research of 2,596 adults conducted April 16-20, Americans' pride in their country has declined on several metrics since 2017, including pride in the nation's military and the country's political influence around the world.
The decline in national pride can be tied to several major events, including the beginning of President Donald Trump's first term, the COVID-19 pandemic and the high inflation Americans experienced under President Joe Biden. The findings also cover the second Trump administration, which has been marked by polarizing actions on issues including immigration and Iran.
The poll finds that much of the decline in patriotic sentiment stems from Democrats, who have become increasingly jaded about the country's prospects since former President Barack Obama left office in 2017. AP-NORC found that the partisan divide in national pride, while already significant in 2017, has become even more pronounced nearly a decade later.
When asked about the U.S. armed forces, 86 percent of Republicans said they are extremely or very proud, compared with just 42 percent of Democrats.
When asked about the nation's history, 68 percent of Republicans said they are extremely or very proud, while only 26 percent of Democrats said the same.
The divide is perhaps even more striking when it comes to America's political influence around the world. Just 45 percent of Republicans said they are extremely or very proud of the country's political influence, compared with only 10 percent of Democrats.
When asked whether being an American is extremely important to their identity, 76 percent of Republicans said it is, compared with 41 percent of Democrats.
The poll also found that younger Americans are less likely to say being an American is highly important to their personal identity. About three-quarters of Americans ages 60 and older said being an American is highly important to who they are, compared with only about one-third of adults under age 30.
On a related note, the AP-NORC poll found that 73 percent of Black Americans said their race or ethnicity is extremely important to how they see themselves. That share is higher than the percentage who said being an American is extremely important to their identity. Among white Americans, only 22 percent said their race or ethnicity is extremely important to how they see themselves.
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