83% of Americans Say the U.S. Has Strayed From Its Founding Principles, New Poll Finds

As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, a new national poll suggests the milestone is prompting more than just reflection on the country’s past. For many Americans, it has become an opportunity to ask whether the nation still represents the values that inspired its founding nearly two and a half centuries ago.

The results paint a complicated picture. Patriotism remains strong, with most Americans saying they are proud to be citizens of the United States. Yet at the same time, an overwhelming majority believe the country has drifted away from its founding principles. Combined with growing concerns over democracy, political division, and the nation’s future, the survey reveals a country that remains hopeful but deeply divided about where it stands today.

Most Americans Believe the Nation Has Drifted From Its Founding Principles

A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found that 83% of Americans believe the United States has moved away from the principles and ideals it was founded on. Nearly half of those surveyed, 47%, said the country has moved far away from those ideals, while another 36% believe America has moved somewhat away. Only 16% of respondents said the country still represents the values established by the nation’s founders.

The survey was conducted between June 8 and June 11 among 1,340 adults nationwide through online, phone, and text interviews. With a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, it provides one of the most comprehensive snapshots of public opinion ahead of America’s semiquincentennial celebration.

The findings stand out because they arrive during what should be one of the country’s most celebratory moments. The United States officially marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026. While anniversaries of this scale typically focus on national pride and shared history, the poll suggests many Americans are instead thinking about how much the country has changed since its founding.

For some respondents, that change reflects a departure from principles like individual liberty, equality, representative government, and constitutional freedoms. Others believe the nation’s founding ideals themselves have evolved over time and argue that moving away from certain aspects of the country’s early history represents progress rather than decline.

Pride in America Remains Strong Despite Growing Doubts

Although most Americans believe the country has drifted from its founding ideals, the survey also found that patriotism remains widespread. Overall, 65% of respondents described themselves as either “very proud” or “proud” to be American, while 35% said they were either “not too proud” or “not proud at all.”

The difference suggests that many people distinguish between loving their country and agreeing with its current direction. Americans may disagree sharply over politics or public policy, but many still express pride in the opportunities, freedoms, and history associated with the United States.

Political affiliation, however, had a major influence on how respondents answered the question. Republicans reported the highest levels of national pride, with 93% saying they were proud to be American. Among independents, 61% described themselves as proud, while only 45% of Democrats gave the same response.

David Walsh, a 62-year-old retired teacher from New Jersey who identifies as a Republican, said his pride comes from the freedoms he enjoys every day.

“The ability to think how I want, to help out who I want and to try to do things that are good for me and others,” Walsh told NPR.

He also said watching international visitors travel across the United States during the FIFA World Cup reminded him how fortunate many Americans are.

“We have a lot of great things here. That’s why people want to come here,” he said. “Go live in that other country you think is better, and they’ll be coming back here in a year.”

Not everyone shared that perspective. Christopher James, a federal employee from Maryland who identifies as a Democrat, said he remains proud of many American accomplishments but struggles with the country’s growing political divisions.

“I’m proud of some of the achievements that we’ve made in a variety of ways in the world,” James said. “But it’s hard to feel absolute pride considering the conflicts that are going on in our society right now.”

For James, one of the biggest concerns is what he sees as an increasing unwillingness among Americans to compromise with people who hold different political views. His comments reflected a broader theme that appeared throughout the poll, where pride often coexisted with frustration about the country’s current political climate.

America’s 250th Anniversary Looks Very Different From Its Bicentennial

This year’s anniversary naturally invites comparisons with the country’s bicentennial celebration in 1976, when Americans also reflected on the nation’s identity following years of political turmoil. At the time, the United States was recovering from the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal, events that had shaken public confidence in government and divided the country.

Polling conducted during that period found that 30% of Americans believed the country had moved far away from its founding principles. Another 46% felt America had moved somewhat away, while 18% believed the nation still reflected those ideals.

Half a century later, those numbers have shifted noticeably. Today, 47% say America has moved far away from its founding principles, a significant increase compared with 1976. Researchers say the change highlights growing concerns about democracy, political institutions, and national unity over the past five decades.

Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, summarized the shift by saying, “The numbers have gone in the wrong direction.”

Yet historians caution that the conversation surrounding America’s founding ideals has also evolved. Beverly Gage, a historian at Yale University, noted that not every aspect of the nation’s early history is viewed positively today. The United States was founded at a time when slavery remained legal and many groups were excluded from full participation in democracy.

According to Gage, many Americans are now asking whether the country’s highest ideals, such as equality, liberty, and democratic government, are still being upheld.

“There are lots of people that are really questioning, in this moment, whether those things are true anymore,” she said.

Political Parties See the State of the Country Very Differently

The poll found that Americans’ views on the nation’s founding principles are shaped heavily by political affiliation. While large majorities across all parties believe the country has changed, Republicans, Democrats, and independents often disagree on how significant that change has been and whether it represents progress or decline.

Democrats were the most likely to believe the United States has drifted from its founding ideals. Only 13% said the country still reflects those principles, while more than half said America has moved far away from them. Many Democratic respondents pointed to concerns about political polarization, attacks on democratic institutions, and social inequality as reasons for their views.

Republicans were somewhat more optimistic, although most still acknowledged that the country has changed. About 20% said America continues to represent its founding principles, making them the most likely political group to hold that view. At the same time, Republicans also reported the highest levels of national pride, with many expressing confidence that the country can overcome its current challenges.

Independents generally fell between the two major parties, reflecting the broader uncertainty seen throughout the survey. Many described feeling proud of America’s history while expressing frustration over the direction of national politics and the growing divide between opposing viewpoints.

John Grigg, a 59-year-old election officer from Virginia who identifies as an independent, said today’s America feels dramatically different from the country he remembers celebrating during the bicentennial in 1976.

“I was in school at that time, and we learned about the Revolutionary War and things like that,” Grigg said. “Celebrating how America had become America at that point versus now, where America is, it just looks like two different places.”

His comments echoed a recurring theme throughout the survey. Many respondents weren’t simply expressing dissatisfaction with current politics. Instead, they described feeling that the country’s identity itself has changed, leaving them questioning whether America still embodies the values they associate with its founding.

Younger Americans Are Slightly More Optimistic Than Older Generations

The survey also revealed notable differences across generations. Although skepticism about the country’s direction was widespread, younger Americans were slightly more likely than older respondents to believe the United States still reflects its founding principles.

Among Generation Z, 21% said America continues to represent those ideals. That compares with 19% of millennials, 14% of Generation X, and just 13% of baby boomers. While none of the generations expressed overwhelming confidence, the results suggest younger adults may have a somewhat different perspective on how the country’s values have evolved.

One possible explanation is that younger Americans have grown up during a period of rapid social and cultural change. For some, expanding civil rights, greater diversity, and broader representation are viewed as evidence that the nation is moving closer to its stated ideals, even if significant challenges remain.

Older Americans, meanwhile, have witnessed decades of political upheaval, economic crises, and shifting public institutions. Many have experienced multiple periods of national division, which may contribute to a stronger sense that the country has drifted from the principles they once believed united Americans.

The generational differences were relatively modest, but they highlight an important point: concern about the country’s direction is not limited to one age group. Regardless of whether respondents were young adults or retirees, most agreed that America today looks very different from the nation envisioned by its founders.

Concerns About Democracy Continue to Grow

Beyond questions about patriotism and national identity, the poll found widespread concern over the future of American democracy. Eighty-two percent of respondents said they believe democracy faces a serious threat, representing a four-point increase compared with a similar survey conducted earlier this year.

The finding reflects growing anxiety over political polarization, declining trust in institutions, and increasingly hostile public discourse. Although respondents often disagreed about the causes of those problems, many shared the belief that the country’s political system is under significant strain.

Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, said the poll suggests Americans are becoming less confident that the normal functions of government are capable of resolving major national challenges. As frustration grows, some citizens appear to be losing faith that political disagreements can be settled through traditional democratic processes alone.

That concern is particularly significant because confidence in democratic institutions has historically been one of the country’s defining strengths. While debates over policy are nothing new, the survey indicates many Americans now see the health of democracy itself as being at risk.

The results help explain why discussions about America’s founding principles have become increasingly intertwined with debates over elections, constitutional rights, and the future of democratic government. Rather than viewing these issues separately, many respondents appear to see them as part of the same broader conversation about the country’s direction.