U.S. President Donald Trump gestures after speaking during a meeting of senior military leaders convened by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
(New York, New York) – Americans are among the least likely in the developed world to express pride in their country’s political system, history or culture, according to a sweeping new survey from Pew Research Center. The study, which polled more than 30,000 people across 25 countries, found the United States ranking near the bottom when respondents were asked what makes them proud of their nation.
Just 8% of Americans surveyed said the U.S. political system was a source of pride — far behind countries like Sweden (53%), Germany (36%) and Canada (22%). Even fewer Americans — only 3% — pointed to the nation’s history as something they are proud of, and the U.S. ranked second-to-last in pride tied to arts and culture.
Perhaps most striking, one in five Americans responded to the question about national pride with something negative or critical. That made the U.S. the fifth most likely country among those surveyed to offer a critical response. Only the United Kingdom, Spain, Nigeria and Hungary saw equal or greater levels of negativity.
However, the United States stood out in one area: freedom. The U.S. was the only country surveyed where freedom was the most frequently cited source of pride, with 22% of respondents naming it. Americans ranked mid-pack when it came to pride in their economy or in the nation’s people.
The survey also revealed a unique political dynamic in the U.S. Six percent of respondents cited a political leader or party as a source of pride — and among those, 60% specifically named Donald Trump. In other countries, only about 35% of those proud of their leader mentioned them by name.
Political affiliation played a major role in responses. Republicans were more than twice as likely as Democrats to say freedom made them proud (32% compared to 15%) and were more inclined to express pride in the economy, political system and military. Democrats, by contrast, were more likely to cite diversity and multiculturalism as sources of pride.
The findings align with recent data from Gallup, which reported last summer that just 58% of U.S. adults said they were “extremely” or “very” proud to be American — the lowest level recorded in the poll’s history. That figure dropped sharply among Democrats and independents, while remaining more stable among Republicans.
The Pew survey underscores a growing divide in how Americans view their country — and how that pride compares to sentiment in other nations around the globe.
