Americans Are Glum on Future of United States

As the United States approaches its 250th birthday this summer, a sizable share of Americans aren't convinced it will live to see another quarter of a millennium. In what the Independent calls a "shocking" new poll, Reuters/Ipsos find that 38% of adults don't think the country will still exist as a single nation in two-and-a-half centuries, while 62% think it will. Among Democrats, 40% see the US breaking apart by then, compared with 26% of Republicans.

The survey, conducted June 12-15 among more than 1,500 adults, also shows Americans cooling on the idea of US exceptionalism. About 30% now call the United States the best country in the world, down from 38% in 2017. Nearly half say it's one of several top nations, while 13% say it's "not a great country at all." Other recent polls likewise show weak confidence in US democracy and political leadership, per the Hill.