Patriotism among Americans is waning and President Donald Trump is to blame.
A new poll from Gallup Inc. shows that pride in the United States among Americans plummeted to its lowest point this June. Gallup said survey result showing only 45 percent of Americans are "extremely proud" of their country is the lowest since its poll on national pride began in 2001.
The nationwide poll was taken from June 3 to 16 also showed 70 percent of U.S. adults say they're "proud" to be Americans.
These new findings contrast starkly to similar Gallup polls taken over a decade ago. The highest results of 69 percent in 2002 and 70 percent in 2004 were recorded after Sept. 11, 2001, Al Qaeda suicide airplane attacks in New York City.
Gallup believes record-low American patriotism is the latest casualty of the destructive and divisive political climate throughout the country. That fewer than half of U.S. adults say they're extremely proud to be Americans is due mostly to the plummeting pride among Democrats since Trump took office, according to Gallup. Democrats universally despise Trump.
Politics might be affecting the overall sense of pride in their country among Democrats more than Republicans, said Gallup. The Democrats' low approval rating of Trump plus their awareness of Trump's historically low approval rating worldwide might also be a key factor in this latest decline in patriotism.
A Gallup poll earlier this year found just 31 percent of Americans (including a tiny 2 percent of Democrats) think foreign leaders respect Trump.
Gallup said these historically low readings on American pride will likely continue as long as Trump remains president.
The poll, however, shows there are many facets of American life that make Americans proud to be Americans.
Of the eight aspects of U.S. government and society make them proud, large percentages expressed pride in six of the eight. These huge sources of American pride are scientific achievements (91%), the U.S. military (89%), American culture and arts (85%), economic (75%) and sporting (73%) achievements, and diversity in race, ethnic background, and religion (72%).
On the other hand, the divisive and hyperpartisan American political system (32%) and the health and welfare system (37%) were sources of shame for most Americans.
