77% say founding fathers would be disappointed with US today: Gallup

Most Americans believe the architects of the United States would be disappointed with the country today, even as a majority say the nation has made meaningful progress toward its founding ideals over the past 250 years, according to a new Gallup poll released ahead of next year's semiquincentennial celebrations.

The May 2026 survey found that 77% of Americans think the signers of the Declaration of Independence would disapprove of how the country has developed, while only 19% believe they would be satisfied. The share expressing optimism has fallen sharply over the past two decades, down from 42% in 2001.

Political affiliation shapes views to some extent. Republicans are nearly twice as likely as Democrats to believe the founders would approve of today's America, although positive assessments remain a minority view across all major political groups. Gallup noted that perceptions have generally tracked the party occupying the White House, but support has declined substantially regardless of political identity.

The survey paints a more positive picture when respondents assess the country's broader historical trajectory. Nearly seven in 10 Americans said the US has achieved at least "a fair amount of successs" in realizing the principles on which it was founded, including liberty, equality and self-government.

That figure remains below the 77% recorded during the nation's bicentennial in 1976 and the 84% measured in 2002, but suggests Americans distinguish between dissatisfaction with current conditions and recognition of long-term national progress.

Views on the country's success also varied by political affiliation. Republicans were the most likely to say the United States had done "a great deal" to fulfill its founding ideals, while Democrats were the least likely. Younger adults were also more skeptical than older Americans, although majorities across all age groups said the country had achieved at least a fair amount of progress.

Differences across racial and income groups were relatively modest, with majorities in each demographic expressing the view that the United States has made meaningful advances toward its founding principles.