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2w ago

Americans' Confidence in U.S. Exceptionalism, Democracy and the American Dream Falls

The shift signals deep generational and partisan rifts that could reshape how the country marks its 250th anniversary.

The U.S. Capitol and National Mall are seen as the set up for the America 250 celebration continues, Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
FILE - Students cross the campus of Dartmouth College, March 5, 2024, in Hanover, N.H. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
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Overview

  • The AP‑NORC survey of 2,596 adults, fielded April 16–20 and reported Monday, June 8, found only one in four Americans say the United States stands above all other countries.
  • Roughly 30% now say other countries are better, up from 19% in a comparable 2016 poll, and the share saying a democratically elected government is central to U.S. identity fell to about two‑thirds from 80% in 2021.
  • Younger adults are markedly more skeptical: 44% of people under 30 say other countries are better compared with 22% of those 60 and older, and about half of under‑30s view democracy as central versus 81% of the oldest group.
  • Partisan gaps are large: about half of Republicans say the U.S. stands above all others versus 7% of Democrats, and 57% of Republicans say the American Dream still holds compared with 17% of Democrats.
  • Many respondents tied their doubts to concrete pressures such as high housing costs and weak job prospects, a sense likely to deepen divisions over immigration, national identity and how communities celebrate the nation's 250th year.