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

Why do Democrats seem to loathe America?

 In Illinois, the political dynamics seem flipped from the national narrative. Republicans are often accused of “loathing” the state, but what they’re really saying is that Illinois is off track and desperately needs fixing. Democrats, meanwhile, appear largely comfortable with the status quo. Under one-party rule, critics argue they’re not reversing the state’s decline—they’re simply managing it.

A recent CNN segment shared by Tom Elliott on X/Twitter (h/t Newsalert) highlighted a striking example of this disconnect:

CNN: "Just 27 percent of Democrats say they'll display the flag on July 4th ... just 29 percent of Democrats say they’re extremely, or very proud, to be an American." pic.twitter.com/EITuYqNRiU

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 17, 2026

This comes at a time when many Americans are preparing to celebrate Independence Day. The low numbers raise a troubling question: What’s behind the reluctance to fly the Stars and Stripes?