After a quarter-century since September 11, Americans remain connected by a common identity, shared ideals, and national pride.
AMERICA’S NEW MAJORITY PROJECT
SEP 11, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Pride and gratitude are near-universal, and separate from political satisfaction.In June 2024, 85% felt proud to be American and 90% grateful, despite polarization and discontent with the country’s direction.
- The founding ideals still command broad agreement. 82% say the Declaration’s principles are relevant, 83% believe Americans should be proud of the Founders, and 87% say Independence Day belongs to all Americans.
- Acknowledging America’s failures doesn’t cancel out attachment to it. 76% agreed honoring the Founders, despite their mistakes on slavery, unifies a diverse country the report’s main point that criticism and patriotism can coexist.
- National identity outranks racial or ethnic identity for most voters. The majority of people, 87%, saw themselves primarily as American rather than as a person of color. Additionally, 83% felt more connected to being American than to their race or ethnicity.
- Dissatisfaction is about repair, not rejection. The 2022 survey found 67% say “America is currently not working,” while 88% call the U.S. a good country and 87% want to “restore the America that works”—showing dissatisfaction aimed at restoring standards rather than discarding them