Fewer Americans See Their Country as Exceptional, AP-NORC Poll Finds
Just weeks before the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, a new poll reveals that fewer Americans than ever believe their country stands above all others — and a growing share say there are better nations to live in. The survey, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, paints a picture of a nation grappling with profound uncertainty about its identity, its democratic institutions, and the promise of the American Dream.
The Numbers Behind the Shift
Only about one-quarter of Americans say the U.S. stands above all other countries, according to the AP-NORC poll of 2,596 adults conducted April 16-20. Another 44% say it is one of the greatest countries alongside others, while approximately 30% say there are better countries — up sharply from 19% in a similar poll conducted in June 2016.
This erosion of belief in American exceptionalism is part of a long-term trend. In 1955, Gallup found that 67% of Americans called the U.S. the “greatest country in the world, better than all other countries in every possible way.” By 2011, Pew Research Center reported that figure had fallen to 38%. A historical analysis by the American Enterprise Institute shows that the share of Americans saying the U.S. stands above all others has continued to decline, with generational shifts playing a significant role in the trend.
Democracy and National Identity
The poll reveals that Americans are increasingly divided over what it means to be American. About two-thirds of U.S. adults (67%) say a democratically elected government is highly important to U.S. identity — down from 80% in 2021. Similarly, 56% say a shared American culture and set of values are extremely or very important to national identity, down from 65% in 2017.
Views on diversity are also split along partisan lines. While 55% of Americans say the mixing of cultures and values from around the world is important to American identity, only about 40% of Republicans share that view, compared with 76% of Democrats.
The American Dream in Doubt
Perhaps the most striking finding concerns the American Dream. A majority of U.S. adults — 51% — say the American Dream “once held true but does not anymore.” Only 33% say it “still holds true,” while 15% say it “never held true.”
Jack Hermanson, a 27-year-old software developer in Denver, told AP News that watching his engineer husband struggle to find a job “really shattered my impression that if you work hard, you get what you deserve.”
Derricka Wall, 24, of Chickasaw, Alabama, expressed a similar disillusionment. “America is not what it used to be,” she said. “I feel like our founding fathers would be kind of disappointed with how it is now.”
A Generational Gulf
The poll exposes a stark generational divide. Among adults under 30, 44% say there are other countries better than the U.S., compared with just 22% of those 60 and older. Only about half of younger Americans see democracy as essential to U.S. identity, versus 81% of seniors. And just 22% of adults under 30 believe the American Dream still holds true, compared with 46% of those 60 and older.
This generational gap suggests the trend toward skepticism may accelerate as older, more optimistic generations age out of the population.
Partisan Divisions Run Deep
Political affiliation is a powerful predictor of attitudes. About half of Republicans say the U.S. stands above all other countries, compared with just 7% of Democrats. Similarly, 57% of Republicans say the American Dream still holds true, versus 17% of Democrats and about 25% of independents.
Kent Stage, a 62-year-old retired Army senior enlisted man and registered Republican from Indiana, expressed deep distrust in the political class. “I’ll trust the ambulance-chasing lawyer and a shady used car salesman before I trust the politician,” he told AP News.
Quintin Sharpe, 28, a financial planner and Republican from Wisconsin, offered a more optimistic counterpoint. “The opportunity is there for those who want to work for it,” he said. “It’s been a great experiment.”
An Awkward Backdrop for the 250th
The poll’s findings create a jarring contrast with the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday celebrations, which the Trump administration has branded as “Freedom 250.” Events include a UFC fight on the White House South Lawn and a “Great American State Fair.”
Rose Nunez, 70, a former small business owner from San Antonio, captured the ambivalence many feel. “It is hard to celebrate when the feelings towards immigrants and communities of color are so strong,” she said.
What It Means
The data, analyzed by AP News reporters Gary Fields, Linley Sanders, and Nicholas Riccardi, points to a nation at a crossroads. The erosion of shared beliefs about what it means to be American — encompassing democracy, diversity, and the promise of opportunity — has profound implications for social cohesion and governance.
As the U.S. prepares to mark a milestone birthday, the poll raises an uncomfortable question: Can a nation that no longer agrees on what makes it exceptional celebrate its exceptionalism with conviction?
The AP-NORC poll was conducted April 16-20, 2026, using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. Online and telephone interviews were conducted with 2,596 adults. The overall margin of sampling error is ±2.6 percentage points.