American pride falls to its lowest level for 20 years as less than 50 percent of white people say they are ‘extremely proud’ of their nation compared to less than a quarter of non-whites, Gallup survey reveals
- Only 42% were ‘extremely’ proud to be American, according to a new poll
- Just 15 percent of Americans described themselves as ‘moderately proud’, 12 percent said they were ‘only a little proud’ and 9 percent were ‘not at all proud’
- About 49 percent of the white participant called themselves ‘extremely’ proud
- Extreme pride analysed by political affiliation remained roughly the same with Democrats and Independents but the Republicans figures decreased 9% to 67%
- Donald Trump’s Gallup approval rating fell to 39% in the poll released Monday
- Americans were questioned between May 28 and June 4 when Black Lives Matter protests were in every state and almost three months into the pandemic
- National pride dropped across all subgroups: Americans aged 18-29, women, college graduates and nonwhites
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Extreme pride among Americans is at its lowest point in two decades amid the coronavirus pandemic which has sparked economic and health crises, plus civil unrest following the police-custody killing of George Floyd.
New data released Monday shows the continuing downward trajectory of being ‘extremely’ proud to be an American at only 42 percent in 2020. About 21 said they were ‘very’ proud of their nationality.
For the first time in the Gallup poll’s 20-year history, less than 50 percent of the white population was ‘extremely’ proud (49 percent) and it also dropped in the non-white population, to 24 percent.
Questioned between May 28 and June 4, by which point there were Black Lives Matter protests in all 50 states and internationally, 15 percent of Americans described themselves as ‘moderately proud’, 12 percent said they were ‘only a little proud’ and 9 percent were ‘not at all proud’.
Only 42% were ‘extremely’ proud to be American, according to a new poll. Protesters appear outside the California Capitol on May 23 in opposition to COVID-19 shutdowns days before the new Gallup polling began
In 2003 the number of Americans either ‘very’ proud or ‘extremely’ proud combined was 92 percent and today it’s only 63 percent
Additional findings from the telephone poll of 1,034 Americans in all 50 states and Washington DC, showed that national pride dropped across all subgroups. Extreme pride in white people fell below 50 percent for the first time
The time period also overlapped with the arrests of the Minneapolis Police officers involved in Floyd’s killing on May 25.
The survey came about two and a half months into the coronavirus pandemic which has caused lockdowns and record-breaking 14.7 percent rate of unemployment across the US in April.
About 20 percent of participants said they were ‘satisfied’ with the way things were going in the US.
When Gallup first began polling in 2001, shortly before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, ‘extreme’ pride levels were around 55 percent and that shot up to between 65 and 70 percent in the three years following as Americans united in the face of terror.
There was dip in 2005 to 61 percent and by 2015 it hit 54 percent.
In line with various outside polls that have seen Donald Trump’s approval rating fall, the Gallup data saw the president’s drop to 39 percent.
Americans were questioned between May 28 and June 4 when Black Lives Matter protests were in every state and almost three months into the pandemic. Protests continue today. Demonstrators are pictured on June 12
Since the start of Gallup polls 20 years ago, ‘extreme’ American pride has dropped from 86 percent in 2002 to 67 today for Republicans. It has decreased from 65 percent in 2002 to 24 in 2020 for Democrats
President Donald Trump listens during a round table discussion on “America’s seniors” in the Cabinet Room at the White House on Monday. His approval rating has decreased in the poll
Extreme pride analysed by political affiliation remained roughly the same with Democrats (24 percent) and Independents 41 percent) in 2020 but the Republicans figures decreased by 9 percent to 67 per cent this year.
The gap between extreme pride for Republicans and Democrats was narrowest in 2002 (10 points) when George W. Bush was president and in 2013 (15 points) when Barack Obama led the country.
It was most polarizing between the parties last year (54 points) and in 2020 the point gap was 43 percent between liberals and conservatives due to the Republican decline.
The random survey demographic weighted to reflect the American population including factors such as gender, age, race, and education.
Additional findings from the telephone poll of 1,034 Americans in all 50 states and Washington DC, showed that national pride dropped across all subgroups of ages 18-29, women, college graduates and nonwhites, all typically Democratic-leaning.
Supporters of President Donald Trump watch as a Flag Day pro-Trump birthday flotilla passes by Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on Sunday. But Republican pride figures decreased by 9 percent to 67 per cent this year