Americans Proud but Worry About Nation’s Direction, Poll

A majority of Americans remain proud to be American, but a sweeping new poll reveals deep anxiety about the nation’s trajectory as the United States prepares to mark its 250th birthday on July 4. The NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, conducted June 8-11 among 1,340 adults, captures a complex and conflicted national mood — one defined by pride in the country’s heritage alongside profound concern about its future.

Pride and Division

Overall, 65% of Americans say they are “very proud” or “proud” to be American, while 35% say they are not. But those feelings are sharply divided along partisan lines. According to the Marist Poll, 93% of Republicans express pride — including 65% who say they are “very proud” — compared with 61% of independents and just 45% of Democrats.

“We have a lot of great things here. That’s why people want to come here,” said David Walsh, a 62-year-old retired teacher from New Jersey who identifies as a Republican, in an interview with NPR. “Go live in that other country you think is better, and they’ll be coming back here in a year.”

Christopher James, 59, a federal employee from Maryland who identifies as a Democrat, expressed more mixed feelings. “I’m proud of some of the achievements that we’ve made in a variety of ways in the world,” he told NPR. “But it’s hard to feel absolute pride considering the conflicts that are going on in our society right now.”

Drifting from Founding Principles

Perhaps the most striking finding concerns how Americans view the nation’s relationship with its founding ideals. A full 83% of Americans believe the country has moved away from its founding principles — 47% say “far away” and 36% say “somewhat away.” Only 16% believe the nation still represents those values.

This represents a significant shift from 1976, when the nation celebrated its bicentennial. At that time, a Roper Organization poll found that 30% of Americans thought the country had moved “far away” from its founding principles, 46% said “somewhat away,” and 18% said it still reflected them. The “far away” figure has risen from 30% to 47% over five decades.

Younger Americans are more likely to say the country still aligns with its founding ideals — 21% of Gen Z respondents said so, compared with just 13% of Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation, according to the Pew Research Center.

Democracy Concerns and the Violence Question

The poll also reveals growing alarm about the health of American democracy. Some 82% of Americans believe a serious threat to democracy exists — up from 78% in February 2026.

More troubling still, the share of Americans who say violence may be necessary to get the country back on track has risen. According to the Marist data, 37% of Americans now agree to some extent that violence might be required — up from 30% in October 2025. The share who “strongly disagree” has fallen from 36% to 27% over the same period.

John Grigg, 59, an election officer from Virginia who identifies as an independent, told NPR he does not rule out the possibility of violence. “I hate to see it. But in some cases, the violence may be what is needed to influence some people’s decisions,” he said.

A Nation Divided on the Future

Despite the widespread concern, Americans remain divided on whether the country’s best days lie ahead. The Marist poll found that 53% believe the nation’s best days are still to come, while 45% say they are behind us. Republicans are far more optimistic (65%) than Democrats, who are evenly split.

However, looking further ahead, pessimism dominates. Some 59% of Americans say they are “not too confident” or “not confident at all” that future generations will be better off by the nation’s 300th anniversary. Only 40% express confidence.

Jason Withington, a 42-year-old IT worker from Missouri who describes himself as a moderate, pointed to economic concerns. “We gotta get this debt under control,” he told NPR, referring to the $39 trillion national debt. “In order for our economy to keep growing and for my kids’ generation and my grandkids’ generation … we got to get the debt under control or our best days will not be ahead of us.”

Signs of Resilience

Yet the picture is not entirely bleak. The Pew Research Center found that 68% of Americans say they feel “hopeful” when thinking about the future, and 54% say they feel “happy.” Nearly half (48%) describe themselves as optimistic about the country’s future, compared with 51% who are pessimistic.

Arlene Stillwell, a 60-year-old retired college professor from New York, said she finds hope in witnessing Americans welcome visitors for the FIFA World Cup. “That gives me hope that maybe the problem is not the American people, it’s who we’ve elected,” she told NPR. “And maybe we need to do some deep reflecting on this next round of elections coming up this fall and then again in two years.”

As the Christian Science Monitor reported from Washington, visitors to the Great American State Fair on the National Mall expressed both pride and concern. Don DeCosta, a retiree from California who attended the 1976 bicentennial and returned for the 250th, captured the mood succinctly: “We are fairly divided these days, and the division comes from the top, I have to say. That has to end. Until we can solve that, we’re going to be torn apart.”

What to Watch

As the nation celebrates its semiquincentennial, the poll raises open questions about whether the milestone will serve as a unifying moment or further highlight the deep divisions that characterize American public life. With midterm elections approaching and concerns about democratic norms persisting, the complex emotional landscape captured by these surveys suggests that America’s 250th year is one of celebration shadowed by uncertainty.