Just months before celebrating its 250th anniversary, America is grappling with a sharp decline in national pride and a widening chasm over what it means to be American, according to a new survey from the Public Religion Research Institute.
Only 51% of Americans now say they are extremely or very proud to be American, a stunning collapse from 82% in 2013. The shift reflects deeper cracks in the national foundation: citizens are increasingly retreating into opposing ideological camps, viewing each other not as political competitors but as existential threats to democracy itself.
The survey, conducted online from May 1-18, 2026, among 5,469 adults across all 50 states, reveals starkly different visions of national identity dividing the country along party lines. Republicans overwhelmingly believe that being born in America, believing in God, and being Christian are essential to what it means to be truly American. Democrats tell a different story, with fewer than half in each category saying these elements matter to national identity.
The erosion extends to the American Dream itself. Fewer than half of Americans now believe that hard work translates into economic advancement, a fundamental pillar of national mythology. Among young adults aged 18 to 29, faith in the dream has plummeted from 50% in 2024 to 36% today.
Robert P. Jones, president and founder of PRRI, described the fracture as more than typical partisan discord. "What you really see is one vision of the country, and one mood among Republicans, and a very, very different vision of the country and mood among both independents and Democrats," Jones told Axios. He characterized Republicans as increasingly becoming outliers, drifting further from the political center on questions of faith, democracy and identity.
The health of a democracy depends less on winning policy fights than on citizens maintaining faith in shared institutions and a common civic narrative. When those bonds fray, experts warn, the system itself becomes vulnerable. The survey found that only 18% of Americans feel extremely or very proud of how democracy is functioning today.
The pollster's margin of error was 1.53 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
Author James Rodriguez: "A nation divided on the basic question of what makes it a nation is a nation in real trouble."
Comments