Gallup: Americans’ pride in U.S. hits record low
Pixabay
- Gallup has conducted its American pride survey since 2001.
- Democrats — but not Republicans — reported significant drops in American pride compared to recent years, while independents reported minor drops.
- Despite the diminished pride, President Donald Trump has ordered what will surely be one of the largest Independence Day celebrations Washington D.C. has even seen.
Americans’ pride in the U.S. is at its lowest point since 2001, according to a new Gallup survey.
For the survey, Gallup conducted telephone interviews between June 3 to 16, 2019, with a random sample of 1,015 adults across all 50 states. The surveyors asked respondents to rate their pride in the U.S. — both overall and in specific national domains, such as the U.S. military, scientific achievements, and political system.
Overall, 70 percent of Americans say they’re proud to be American, while less than half (45 percent) say they’re “extremely proud” to be American, marking the second year in a row this measure fell below majority level.
“The highest readings on the measure, 69 percent and 70 percent, were between 2002 and 2004, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when the American public expressed high levels of patriotism and rallied around the U.S. government,” Gallup staff wrote. “Yet, since the start of George W. Bush’s second presidential term in 2005, fewer than 60 percent of Americans have expressed extreme pride in being American.”
American pride differs by age, political affiliation
Democrats — who have historically self-reported less pride in the U.S. compared to Republicans — showed the lowest reading of “extremely proud” to be American since Gallup began the survey 19 years ago. Meanwhile, the share of Republicans who are “extremely proud” in the U.S. has been rising since 2016 — climbing from 68 percent to 76 percent in 2019.
The results also show that women, liberals and younger adults expressed the lowest pride.
Gallup’s 2019 survey is its first to include a question measuring American pride in eight aspects of U.S. government and society.
“Strong majorities express pride in six of the eight — American scientific achievements (91%), the U.S. military (89%), American culture and arts (85%), economic (75%) and sporting (73%) achievements, and diversity in race, ethnic background, and religion (72%).”
American pride might be diminished, but the country’s Independence Day celebration in Washington, D.C. is set to be one of the biggest – and potentially the most controversial and expensive – in U.S. history.
