Nate Silver: U.S. Patriotism Falls Behind

Nate Silver posted some eye-opening polling data right before the July 4th holiday. The takeaway? American patriotism has declined sharply and now sits below the global average. As the fireworks fade and we move into the week after Independence Day, the numbers deserve a closer look — especially with the country’s 250th anniversary on the horizon.

The Global Picture

The United States used to stand out for its strong national pride. In the 1980s, about 95% of Americans described themselves as “very” or “quite” proud of their nationality — significantly higher than most other regions.

By 2022, that figure had dropped to 78%. Many parts of the world maintained higher levels: Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East generally stayed in the 85–90% range. In a ranking of large and OECD countries, the U.S. now ranks around 34th out of 45.

The first chart shared by Silver shows the U.S. line trending steadily downward while other regions held steady or improved.

Obviously, some of this is partisan, with the Democratic numbers having fallen far more. Though independents are actually closer to Democrats on this issue than the GOP. pic.twitter.com/lV9bjtidDc

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) July 3, 2026

h/t Newsalert

CNN Poll: 47% of Americans Now Identify as Independents

A new CNN poll from May 2026 delivers a clear message about the state of American politics heading into the midterms: a growing number of people are rejecting both major parties.

According to the survey, 47% of Americans now consider themselves political independents. That's the highest level CNN polling has recorded in more than 10 years. Democrats sit at 27% and Republicans at 26%.