As Americans marked Independence Day, a new poll suggests the concept of patriotism is increasingly divided along party lines.
According to a survey by GOP-affiliated National Research Inc., 91% of self-identified Republicans consider themselves patriots—compared to just 50% of Democrats. The partisan split echoes the political climate following the 2024 election.
The numbers are similarly stark when broken down by 2024 voting preference: 90% of Trump voters identify as patriots, while only 55% of Harris voters say the same. Among ideological groups, 87% of conservatives and just 51% of liberals describe themselves that way.
“It’s a revealing and concerning divide,” said Adam Geller, who conducted the poll and previously worked on Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign. “You don’t have to love the president to love your country. Patriotism should transcend politics.”
That division is backed up by other recent surveys. Gallup found just 36% of Democrats said they were “extremely” or “very” proud to be American—down sharply from 62% last year and the lowest in over two decades.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) took to X (formerly Twitter) to express disappointment in the Gallup findings:
“In the greatest country in the world, that’s just wrong. I’m unapologetically grateful for our nation and the American way of life—today, and always.”
Republican pride in America, by contrast, rose to 92%, according to Gallup.
Independents also showed a decline in pride, with just 53% saying they were extremely or very proud—down 7 points from last year.
Overall, Gallup reported a record low of 58% of Americans expressing strong national pride. In January 2001, that number stood at 87%—peaking at 91% shortly after the 9/11 attacks.
Generationally, Gallup’s poll found younger Americans are far less likely to embrace patriotic identity. Only 41% of Gen Z respondents said they were very or extremely proud to be American, compared to 58% of Millennials, 71% of Gen X, and 75% of Baby Boomers.
“This is a sobering trend,” Geller said. “We need to understand what’s driving the erosion of national pride—especially on the left.”
The poll, which surveyed 1,000 registered voters between June 21 and 23, has a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points. Gallup’s separate survey, conducted June 2–19, sampled 1,000 adults with a margin of error of ±4.0 points.
The findings come just a year ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026—a moment intended to unify Americans, even as deep partisan divisions persist.
