Democrats Responsible For Decline In American Pride, Conditional On Whether They’re In Power

As the United States observes another Independence Day, a newly released Gallup poll reveals a record-low level of national pride, with a sharp partisan divide in how Americans view their country.

According to the survey, only 58% of American adults say they are either “extremely” (41%) or “very” (17%) proud to be American. That number marks a 9-point drop from 2024 and is the lowest Gallup has recorded since it began asking the question in 2001.

Back then, 87% of Americans said they were either extremely or very proud of their country. That figure surged to 90% after the September 11 attacks and remained at that elevated level through 2004. Since then, national pride has steadily declined, with political affiliation emerging as a key factor.

This year’s drop in national pride is largely attributable to a significant decline among Democrats. In 2025, just 36% of Democrats said they were either extremely or very proud to be American—a 26-point drop from 62% the year prior.

Republican pride, in contrast, has remained relatively consistent over the past two decades, regardless of which party controlled the White House. The lowest level ever recorded among Republicans was 84% in 2022. That figure is just one point lower than the 85% peak of Democratic pride in 2013, shortly after President Barack Obama’s re-election.

The consistency of Republican pride across both Republican and Democratic presidencies stands in contrast to the more variable pattern among Democrats, whose pride levels have fluctuated more significantly depending on which party holds political power.

This is in sharp contrast to the political right, where pride in country is often expressed as a consistent value regardless of current leadership. Analysts suggest that for many conservatives, patriotism is rooted in a broader view of American ideals and history, rather than contingent on specific policies or electoral influence.

Gallup also found that this trend extends across generations. While national pride has declined in general among younger Americans, the steepest drop has occurred among younger Democrats. Compared to data from 10 to 15 years ago:

• Millennial Democrats saw a 32-point decline in pride.
• Gen X Democrats saw a 21-point decline.
• Democrats in other generational cohorts also reported drops of at least 10 points.

By contrast, while younger Republicans and independents reported slightly lower pride than older members of their parties, their declines were far less pronounced.

Cultural and political commentators have interpreted the data in different ways.

In 2008, then–First Lady Michelle Obama made headlines for saying, “For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country,” reflecting a sentiment among some liberals that national pride is tied to political progress or inclusion.

More recently, liberal playwright Eve Ensler, who now goes by “V”, wrote in The Guardian that “being an American feels like a curse…complicity with genocide, psychotic imperialism, misogyny and endless racism.” Her quote illustrates the perspective among some progressives who associate American identity with historical injustices and systemic flaws.

Gallup summarized the trend as follows: “Democrats are largely responsible for declining U.S. pride within each generation.”

While expressions of national pride traditionally rise in times of national unity or crisis, today’s numbers suggest that patriotism is becoming increasingly polarized, influenced more by political affiliation than by shared civic sentiment.

As the country celebrates its 249th Independence Day, these trends raise questions about the future of national cohesion and how Americans across the political spectrum interpret what it means to be proud of their country.

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