Americans Believing There Are Better Countries Than US Rises-Poll

Ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary next month, the number of Americans who believe there are countries better than the United States has jumped, according to a new poll.

The poll from the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reflects a broader decline in national confidence that has been building for years. Other surveys have also shown similar drops in patriotism, trust in institutions and satisfaction with the direction of the country. The shift signals a weakening of the civic glue that has historically united Americans, regardless of partisan lines.

Thirty percent of respondents said they believe there are other countries across the globe that are better than the United States, according to the poll. This marks an increase from 26 percent in March 2024, 11 percent in February 2017 and 19 percent in June 2016.

In the latest poll, only 25 percent of respondents said the U.S. "stands above all other countries in the world," while 44 percent said the U.S. is among the greatest countries, along with some others.

The poll broadly found that many Americans are not particularly optimistic about the state of the country.

The survey was released Monday but polled 2,596 Americans from April 16-20 via the web and telephone and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.

It comes amid growing concerns around the economy and foreign policy amid President Donald Trump's second term in office. But many polls have long signaled concerns about deteriorating trust in political institutions that spans political affiliation that could shape the political realm for decades to come.

One in Three Americans Believe American Dream Holds True

It found that only 34 percent of Americans believe the American Dream still holds true today, while 15 percent said it never held true. A majority of 51 percent said it once held true but does not anymore.

The poll defined the American Dream as the idea that "if you work hard you’ll get ahead."

Meanwhile, 61 percent believe the U.S. used to be a great place for immigrants but no longer is. Ten percent said it was never a great place for immigrants, while 27 percent believe it still is.

Only Half of Gen Z Believes Democracy ‘Very or Extremely' Important to National Identity

Generational divides shape how Americans view their national identity, with the poll finding that only a slim majority of Americans believing a "democratically elected government" is important to the United States' identity.

Only 51 percent of Americans ages 18-29 believed it was "very or extremely" important, compared to 27 percent who said it is somewhat important and 21 percent said they do not believe it is important.

That is a notable shift from older generations-61 percent of those 30-44 believe it is extremely or very important, compared to 66 percent of those 45-59 or 81 percent of those older than 60.

Mark Beal, professor of communication at Rutgers University, who is an expert in Gen Z, told Newsweek that many in Gen Z prioritize societal issues over an established political system, describing them as the "purpose generation."

"Mental wellness, climate change, human rights, healthcare, gender equality, the economy including housing and jobs are a primary focus for many members of Gen Z, especially those who have graduated to adulthood with the oldest members of the Gen Z cohort turning 30 in 2027," he said.

Other polling has revealed that many younger Americans are less trusting or optimistic about American institutions. The Fall 2025 Harvard Youth Poll found that only 13 percent of Gen Z believed the U.S. was heading in the right direction. It found that 45 percent believe democracy is in trouble, while 19 percent view the U.S. as a failed democracy.

The Harvard poll surveyed 2,040 adults aged 18-29 from November 3-7, 2025. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.94 percentage points.

What Does Decline in Patriotism Mean for American Democracy? Analysts Weigh In

Dominic Erdozain, author of The Problem of Patriotism in America, told Newsweek that whether the comparisons are fair, there is "an understandable perception that this is not a good country in which to be out of work."

"It’s clear from the survey that it is generational, with both the political and economic climate affecting young people’s perceptions of the USA," he said.

He warned that it would be a "terrible thing" for political institutions if the wave of alienation translated into a general loss of faith in democracy. The problem "clearly" precedes the Trump era, he said, noting that many Americans have long been concerned about the role of money in politics.

"But I think the decline of a hereditary or unthinking patriotism could be a good thing if it enables people to wake up and engage more directly in politics, community activism etc.," he said. "I would like to think that a decline in American exceptionalism could release a healthier, more critical and creative patriotism that asks, ‘What do we stand for, and how do we achieve it?'”

Steven Smith, a Yale University political scientist, told Newsweek the polling is not particularly surprising and that some respondents may feel this way due to a "superficial sense of what countries offer."

"We are currently witnessing the result of this decline of civic literacy, where the country is divided between furious nationalists who want to expel immigrants and who revel in policies of cruelty and sadism and progressives with their policies of multiculturalism and identity that are deeply anathema to the way most Americans think of themselves," he said. “These are for the moment extreme views (although the first is becoming increasingly mainstream) that it will take a concerted effort to resist."

Current public culture "encourages a corrosive cynicism that is in the long run deeply deleterious to democracy," Smith said, adding that reading documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Gettysburg Address, and “I Have a Dream” speech as a cure for that cynicism.

What Do Other Polls Show About Americans' Patriotism?

A Gallup poll released in 2025 found that the number of Americans who are extremely or very proud to be an American fell over the past few decades. In 2001, 87 percent said they were either extremely or very proud to be an American, down to only 58 percent in 2025.

A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that 57 percent of Americans believe democracy is not working in the U.S., compared to only 37 percent who say it is. It found that 22 percent of Americans do not consider themselves proud to be Americans.

On a more optimistic note, only 41 percent of respondents said the country's best days are in the past, while 50 percent said the best days are ahead.

It surveyed 1,316 adults from May 14-18 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

America Celebrates 250th Anniversary

The semiquincentennial will be celebrated July 4, 250 years since the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The anniversary has sparked local, state and federal celebrations to honor the country’s founding and history, as well as how the country has evolved since then. In Washington, events like the Great American State Fair will celebrate the anniversary.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 10:58 AM.