Patriotism reaches new low ahead of 250th anniversary
ahead of the U.S.250th Independence Day celebration, recent Gallup polling indicates a significant decline in american patriotism nationwide. Only about 33% of Americans are “extremely proud” to be Americans in 2026, the lowest as Gallup began tracking patriotism in 2001, reflecting an 8-point drop from 2025. The pride gap between Republicans and Democrats remains ample, with 70% of Republicans feeling “extremely proud” compared to just 14% of Democrats and 28% of independents. Overall pride levels peaked shortly after 9/11 but have since waned, especially among young people and women.Despite efforts by various committees to boost engagement with the 250th anniversary, patriotic enthusiasm appears limited. The waning patriotism raises questions about how Americans will celebrate this milestone, with some noting the decline in flag displays and overall national pride.
Less than one week before Americans are set to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, new polling shows American pride has hit a new low nationwide.
About one-third of the country identifies as “extremely proud” to be an American, with a 56-percentage-point pride gap between Republicans and Democrats, according to a new Gallup poll. Just 33% of Americans say they are “extremely proud” to live in the United States in 2026, compared to 52% who were “extremely proud” to be an American one decade ago and 59% who said the same two decades ago.
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The overall pride numbers dipped by 8 percentage points in the past year, down from 41% who said they were “extremely proud” in 2025. 2026 marks the year with the lowest percentage of “extremely proud” Americans since Gallup began its patriotism poll in 2001. Likewise, fewer than half of polled U.S. adults choose to display the American flag outside their homes.
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Republicans have consistently been the most patriotic party, according to the poll, taking a dip in their patriotism throughout former President Joe Biden’s term. In 2026, 70% of polled Republicans said they were “extremely proud” to be an American, while 28% of independents and only 14% of Democrats said the same. The country was proudest in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, from 2002 to 2004.
The dip in recorded patriotism comes just days before the U.S. will celebrate its 250th birthday on July Fourth, putting a question mark over how Americans will celebrate the nation’s anniversary.
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The bipartisan America250 committee and the Trump administration’s Freedom 250 committee have each worked to drive up Americans’ engagement with the nation’s semiquincentennial despite low patriotism.
As Washington, D.C., gets ready to host the Quarter Millennium fireworks and 11 U.S. cities host the World Cup to showcase America on the world’s sports stage, patriotic engagement has apparently been the least successful among young people and women, according to Gallup. Just 14% of Americans ages 18 to 34 — and just 26% of women — are “extremely proud” of their country.
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