A new national poll is raising fresh concerns about the state of patriotism in America, revealing that fewer citizens describe themselves as “extremely proud” of their country than at almost any point in recent history. The findings also expose a striking partisan divide, with Republicans overwhelmingly expressing pride in the United States while Democrats are increasingly distancing themselves from the nation.
NBC News data analyst Steve Kornacki highlighted the trend during an appearance on *Meet the Press*, pointing to polling conducted jointly by Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research Associates and Republican pollster Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies.
The numbers tell a troubling story.
Only about one-third of respondents now say they are “extremely proud” to be American—a dramatic decline from 2003, when 70 percent of Americans gave that same response in a similar survey.
Even when combining those who say they are “extremely proud” and “very proud,” only 56 percent of Americans fall into those categories today.
By comparison, roughly three-quarters of Americans expressed that level of pride at the beginning of the century.
“The significance of this is that the number is in decline,” Kornacki explained. “A steady 21st-century decline.”
Perhaps the most revealing aspect of the survey is where that decline is occurring.
Republicans remain overwhelmingly proud of the country, with an overwhelming majority saying they are either extremely or very proud to be Americans.
Democrats tell a very different story.
According to the survey, Democrats are roughly twelve times more likely than Republicans to say they are “only a little proud” or “not proud at all” of the United States.
The growing ideological divide suggests that patriotism itself has increasingly become a partisan issue—something that would have been nearly unthinkable just a generation ago.
Kornacki also pointed to another troubling trend accompanying the decline in national pride: collapsing trust in America’s institutions.
Confidence has steadily eroded across nearly every major pillar of public life, including Congress, the federal government, religious organizations, the news media, and even the Supreme Court.
While distrust exists across the political spectrum, the survey revealed notable differences.
Republicans expressed their strongest skepticism toward the national media, while Democrats reported sharply declining confidence in the Supreme Court following several landmark rulings that frustrated progressive priorities.
Those decisions included the Court’s rulings on abortion, presidential immunity for official acts, administrative agency authority under the Chevron doctrine, Second Amendment protections, and restrictions involving gender-transition procedures for minors.
For many conservatives, the poll reflects more than simple dissatisfaction with politics. It raises deeper questions about the values being taught in schools and universities and whether younger generations are developing the same appreciation for American history and exceptionalism that previous generations embraced.
The survey’s findings sparked passionate reactions online.
“It’s not America I’m losing pride in—it’s Americans,” one commenter wrote. “Too many people have been taught to hate the country that gave them the opportunities they enjoy.”
Another argued that the education system bears much of the responsibility for the shift.
“Our schools and universities have spent years teaching students what’s wrong with America instead of what’s right,” the commenter wrote. “People who have never experienced life anywhere else have no idea how fortunate they are.”
While Americans continue to disagree over politics, one conclusion seems increasingly difficult to ignore: the nation’s shared sense of pride is fading, particularly among those on the political left. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the poll raises an uncomfortable question for both parties—but especially for Democrats: how can a country remain united if a growing number of its own citizens no longer take pride in calling themselves Americans?
