How Democrats Can Maintain Their Patriotism in the Trump Era

Every year, around July 4, Gallup measures how Americans are feeling about their country. And every year, I’m reminded of how an ever-lower share of Democrats—especially liberal Democrats—feel less and less proud to call America their home. This year’s survey, released yesterday, is no exception: only about a third (36 percent) of self-identified Democrats said they were either “extremely” or “very” proud to be American, a record low since Gallup began tracking the question in 2001.

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Seeing this sharp decline among Democrats after majorities said for the prior four years that they were proud of their country points to a pretty obvious culprit: the re-election of Donald Trump—and this time with majority support from the electorate. In fact, Gallup notes, there has been a noticeable drop in patriotic sentiment among Democrats since 2016, again aligning with Trump’s election.

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In some ways, this shift is understandable. Trump presents a very different view of what it means for America to be great than the one shared by most Democrats. Summed up in his campaign mantra, “Make America Great Again,” Trump—and many of his voters—believe the country is in decline and that its best days are behind us. This is the rationale behind his “America First” agenda that includes, among other things, sweeping tariffs and more immigration restrictions, policies designed (at least in part) to help return America to a time when it was the dominant economic force globally and good jobs were abundant.

By contrast, liberals often believe that those past periods in American life were imperfect, as not everyone who lived here was able to fully participate in it. They consider the trajectory of American society toward one that is more diverse, tolerant of difference, and open to the world than it was in the past as a positive sign of progress. And they believe that Trump represents a bulwark against that kind of change. So, when a substantial share of voters decided to return him to office and support his new policies, many on the left took it as a sign that their country was rejecting their view of progress in favor of Trump’s appeals to nostalgia—and far more Democrats now share the view that America’s best days are behind it.

It is thus not uncommon for Democrats today to view not just their government but even some of their fellow countrymen and women with scorn. Anyone who has spent time in liberal circles since the election, especially on social media, has surely seen some variation of the line, “Fine, if people really feel this way, America deserves what it has coming to it. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.” Rather than merely expressing concern for the country’s future, some have clearly come to look at others with whom they share it with outright contempt.

This is obviously not a healthy recipe for the future. A strong national identity requires buy-in from the overwhelming majority of citizens. So, at a time when many liberals are despairing about the future under Trump and feeling cold toward America, it’s perhaps worth re-thinking what it means to be proud of one’s country and why there is still so much about the U.S. that they can and should look favorably on.

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To set this up, it’s first important to remember that America is more than its government. Relatedly, Mark Twain once observed, “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” People in countries around the world—democracies and non-democracies alike—no doubt understand this attitude. Even as citizens of, say, China or Russia or Turkey grow frustrated with their governments or maybe even by the values or beliefs of some of their fellow citizens, it’s unlikely to lead them to disavow their own culture, reject their national identity, or ignore the contributions that their countries have made to the world.

America is also more than its shortcomings. It’s of course reasonable, even necessary, for countries to grapple with their past transgressions, not simply paper over them. It is true that American history includes some darker periods—slavery, Jim Crow, the treatment of Native Americans, and the Vietnam and Iraq Wars. But not only has the country worked to overcome much of that, which must also be acknowledged as part of its history, but no country should be wholly defined by its worst moments, either. Few today think of Germany, Italy, or Japan foremost by their actions in World War II—even as they continue to work to remember their past—but rather for their cultural, business, and technological exports to the rest of the world since that time.

So perhaps one way for Democrats to find their patriotism again is to reflect on America’s extensive, positive cultural contributions. Consider, for instance, the innumerable genres of music that have originated here, such as jazz, rock ‘n roll, hip-hop, bluegrass, disco, blues, pop-rock, gospel, R&B, punk, and soul, and that have caught on big-time elsewhere. In Europe, supporters of soccer clubs have adopted classics like “Sweet Caroline” and “Seven Nation Army” in their chants. Sitting in a cafe in Rome last year, I noticed the playlist running through a catalog of American hits. Anyone who has traveled abroad has likely experienced something similar.

There’s also American sports, which have become so popular that one recent analysis found that six of the top 15 most-watched sporting events in the world are based in the U.S. while the remaining seven were all multi-country or international contests.¹ Basketball and baseball have both grown in popularity around the world while the NFL, by far the most popular league domestically, is significantly expanding its reach as well. Several other sports also originated in America and have since spilled beyond its borders, including skateboarding, ultimate frisbee, snowboarding, cheerleading, volleyball, and, most recently, pickleball—the fastest-growing sport in the world today.

And, of course, it’s impossible to ignore the far reach of Hollywood, which for decades has influenced people and societies around the globe. Pew Research has noted that even during periods of rising anti-American sentiment elsewhere in the world—which does appear to be happening right now—most people still have a favorable view of American culture, especially movies.

The ubiquity and popularity of our culture is a testament to America’s rich history. It has gained traction over time not because we imposed it on other countries. As

Chris Arnade

has put it, “The global mass love for the US and its culture is genuine…[it] is an organic democratic process because US culture despite all the showy glitz is still at its heart democratic, because the US despite all its faults is still at its heart a democratic country, where the desires of the demos, and their interest, have outlets that don’t feel entirely chimerical and impotent.”

This relates to another proud achievement: America is one of the only places on earth today that can credibly claim to be a nation of immigrants and that has a history of successfully assimilating new immigrants into our society and watching them make invaluable contributions to it, such as Sergey Brin, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Audrey Hepburn, Yo-Yo Ma, Nikola Tesla, Anna Kournikova, and Albert Einstein. There’s a reason why more immigrants have chosen to call America their home than anywhere else in the world (and it’s not particularly close).

Indeed, America’s founding ideal—the notion that anyone can make of themselves what they want in a society committed to pluralism—has not only served us well but also has been a model, even if at times an imperfect one, for other societies. To be an American is to be part of a project bigger than oneself and also, importantly, one’s ethnic or tribal identity. The country has certainly struggled to consistently live up to this ideal, but it is nonetheless something that we continue to aspire to and that has lit the path for other countries to do the same.

There are also other, more tangible ways to reinvigorate a sense of patriotism among Democrats. One thing I’ve noticed in my own, predominantly liberal social circles is that people who have some skin in the game—who have sacrificed in some way in service of their country and fellow citizens—often boast a more hopeful attitude about America. This includes those who have served in the military, worked for the government, and taught in public schools. Insofar as they criticize the country, it’s usually because they see it failing to live up to its ideals, which they believe in.

For liberals who haven’t had these experiences—or, really, for any who may be feeling down on their country at the moment—it may be worth looking for opportunities to volunteer. This doesn’t necessarily need to be at the national level; even local settings can be a good way to feel more connected to American life. Doing this may help foster greater civic pride and is a far more effective way to engage with others than, say, sharing contemptuous memes on social media.

Research has shown that civic participation increases “constructive patriotism” and decreases “blind patriotism,” and also that conservatives are more likely to volunteer than their liberal counterparts, which may at least partially explain why Republicans tend to also feel much more patriotic than Democrats. Engendering feelings of patriotism is unlikely to be enough to convince some people to volunteer, but if and when they do it, that may be a worthy byproduct.

Another practical (and easy) step Democrats can take is cheering on their national sports teams. And there is ample opportunity to do this. Right now, the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team is in the Gold Cup tournament, and Sunday they advanced to the semi-final round after winning a thrilling penalty shootout over Costa Rica. Next year, they’ll be playing in—and hosting—the World Cup. The following year, the women’s national team, which has been a global powerhouse for decades, will play in the Women’s World Cup. In 2028, America will compete in the Olympics. These competitions offer low-stakes chances to exhibit some healthy nationalism, and it’s hard to resist the temptation when much of the rest of the country is doing the same.

Finally, something that I’ve found helped renew my own love for America was to attend an immigrant naturalization ceremony. Last July 4, I went to Richmond, Virginia, to see 75 individuals from 36 different country become American citizens. Anyone who wants to feel optimistic about the nation’s future would benefit from attending one of these.

Speaking with some of them afterward, I was struck by how hopeful they were about life in America, even after years of grinding through the immigration process, and how it stood in sharp contrast with things I’ve heard from people born and raised here, some of whom seem to take their relatively free, peaceful, and secure lives for granted. Listening to those who have come from other places talk about America might offer a reminder of just how lucky many of us are.

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In addition to the clear personal benefits of embracing patriotism, there’s a cruder political calculation that the official Democratic Party also must contend with: voters increasingly see them as an unpatriotic party. This surely isn’t for a lack of effort from their leaders. But the impression exists nonetheless. In a 2024 post-election survey, the Progressive Policy Institute found that working-class voters, specifically, were likelier to view Republicans as far more patriotic than Democrats, 62 percent vs. 43 percent. The above Gallup poll (and others) is only likely to reinforce that gap.

The reality is that a lot of Americans like living here and think patriotism is pretty cool, and if voters believe one of the parties doesn’t share those values, that can only come at the latter’s expense.

If Democrats care about building a future wherein all Americans share in its success, they must first tell themselves a story that doesn’t condemn the American experiment based on the temporary reality of who is in power or the nations’ past failings. Even for liberals who have grown jaded by a country that re-elected Trump, there’s still plenty to love here. Patriotism need not be manufactured; there are abundant, meaningful ways to feel and express admiration for one’s homeland. And doing so will be a crucial part of securing a shared, prosperous future for all Americans.

1. In other words, no other country has produced a sporting event that is anywhere near as popular as the biggest ones in the U.S.