A Reuters/Ipsos online poll finds growing unease about America's future: 38% of respondents doubt the U.S. will exist as a single country 250 years from now, including 40% of Democrats and 26% of Republicans. Two-thirds say American democracy is in danger of failing, and 77% expect political violence to rise over the next five years. Fewer Americans now call the U.S. the greatest country, and many feel 250th anniversary events have become too political.
Poll: 38% of Americans Doubt the U.S. Will Survive Another 250 Years as Worries About Democracy Rise
Vehicles travel along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway with the skyline in the background at dusk in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., April 29, 2026. REUTERS/Ed Ou
WASHINGTON, June 16 — As the United States nears its 250th anniversary, a Reuters/Ipsos online poll finds deep public unease about the nation's future and the health of its democracy.
Headline Findings
The survey of 1,537 U.S. adults, conducted over four days and with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points, found that 38% of respondents do not believe the United States will exist as a single country 250 years from now. That skepticism includes 40% of Democrats and 26% of Republicans. Overall, 62% said they expect the nation to endure.
Democracy and Political Violence
Two-thirds of those surveyed agreed with the statement that American democracy is in danger of failing, a view expressed by 85% of Democrats and 50% of Republicans. That is up from 57% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll in August last year, driven largely by increasing concern among Republicans. Meanwhile, 77% of respondents said they believe political violence is likely to increase over the next five years.
How Americans See Their Country
Fewer Americans now call the United States the greatest country in the world. Just 30% said the U.S. is the greatest nation, down from 38% in a similar Reuters/Ipsos poll in November 2017. The drop is most pronounced among Democrats, falling from 26% to 11%, while about six in 10 Republicans still hold that view.
250th Anniversary Politics And Everyday Celebrations
Majorities said the events marking the 250th anniversary have become too political: three-quarters of Democrats and half of Republicans expressed that view. Partisan differences also showed up in holiday plans: 52% of Republicans said they planned to wear red, white and blue for Independence Day, compared with 20% of Democrats, while 46% of Republicans planned to attend fireworks displays versus 28% of Democrats.
Context
The poll was conducted amid highly charged political pageantry around this year's celebrations, with President Donald Trump taking a prominent role in anniversary events. Political leaders from both parties are trading sharply different narratives about the state of the country and the threats facing it, with Republicans pointing to threats against Trump and Democrats warning about risks to democratic norms.
Methodology
The online poll gathered responses from 1,537 U.S. adults nationwide over four days and reports a margin of error of ±3 percentage points. Results reflect opinions at the time of the survey and track shifts in public sentiment since Reuters/Ipsos polling in 2017 and 2023.
Note: All percentages and comparisons are drawn from the Reuters/Ipsos poll described above.
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