An NBC News survey released Sunday shows a stark partisan divide in American patriotism, with fewer than 30% of Democrats reporting being extremely or very proud to be American as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary. The poll found that overall, 56% of Americans say they are extremely or very proud to be American, while 29% report having little or no national pride at all.
The divide aligns closely with party affiliation. About 90% of Republicans say they are proud to be American, compared with just 29% of Democrats who say the same. The gap also widens by age: roughly three-quarters of adults aged 65 and older report feeling proud of their country, while that figure drops sharply among younger Americans, with only 36% of those ages 18-34 saying the same.
"This number is in decline," polling analyst Steve Kornacki said of American pride levels.
A majority of Americans, 58%, also say the nation's best days are in the past rather than ahead in the future. That finding crosses partisan lines, though it varies by demographic group.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressives and some Democratic strategists argue that expressions of patriotism should not be reduced to simple metrics about national pride. Critics from the left contend that patriotism can take many forms, including working to address systemic problems and push for a more perfect union.
Some progressive voices have argued that skepticism toward institutions is warranted when those institutions fail to deliver for all Americans. They point to ongoing debates over voting rights, economic inequality, and democratic participation as legitimate grounds for civic engagement rather than uncritical support.
A subset of younger Democrats has pointed to polling data showing broad concern about the direction of the country as evidence of healthy democratic discourse. Some progressive commentators have framed criticism of current conditions as a form of patriotism itself — the belief that the nation can live up to its stated ideals.
What the Right Is Saying
Republican strategists and conservative commentators have highlighted the poll findings as evidence of a fundamental divide in national values. They argue that declining patriotic sentiment among Democrats reflects broader cultural and ideological shifts within the party.
Conservative voices have pointed to the data as a referendum on Democratic leadership, with some arguing that the party's focus on opposing President Trump comes at the expense of national unity. One analysis from Cygnal found that swing voters trust Republicans over Democrats on immigration by a 53% to 23% margin, on crime by 47% to 22%, and on government spending by 39% to 23%.
"It's striking that when you look at age and gender breaks, women under the age of 55 are the only group who think Democrats actually offer a more compelling alternative — every single other group thinks the left is just focused on Trump," John Rogers, Cygnal senior partner and pollster, said in a statement.
Some Republican commentators have framed the findings as a political opportunity, arguing that patriotic appeals could resonate with voters across demographic groups as the 2026 midterm cycle approaches.
What the Numbers Show
The NBC News survey of 1,000 adults conducted June 8-12 found clear patterns by party and age: Republicans expressing pride in being American: 90%; Democrats expressing such pride: 29%; Overall Americans expressing extreme or very strong national pride: 56%; Americans saying they have little or no pride: 29%.
By age group, the findings show a generational divide: Adults 65 and older feeling proud to be American: approximately 75%; Adults ages 18-34 feeling proud: 36%.
A separate Cygnal poll obtained by The Daily Wire found similar overall figures, with 58% of respondents saying they are extremely or very proud to be American. That number dropped to 28% among voters under 30 and fell further among young Democrats, with 30% of that group saying they are not at all proud of the nation.
The Cygnal poll also found that 58% of Americans say the nation's best days are in the past. Among Democrats under 40, that figure rose to approximately 70%.
The Bottom Line
The polling data paints a portrait of a nation divided along partisan and generational lines when it comes to expressions of national pride. Republicans near universally express strong patriotic sentiment while fewer than one in three Democrats do so.
The age divide cuts across party lines as well, with younger Americans significantly less likely than older generations to report strong feelings of national pride — a trend that analysts from both polling firms flagged as notable independent of partisan affiliation. The Cygnal analysis described the youth decline as "broader than the midterm and worth flagging as a standalone trend; it cuts across the usual partisan framing and will outlast this cycle."
For both parties, the data presents challenges and opportunities heading into the 2026 midterms. Republicans may seek to capitalize on patriotic messaging while navigating headwinds from economic concerns that voters rank as top priorities, including gas prices and inflation, according to Cygnal's polling. Democrats face questions about how to appeal to voters skeptical of their national vision while maintaining support among younger demographics already skeptical of traditional institutions.