By Gregory A. Smith, Alan Cooperman and Claudia Deane
Pew Research Center

As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, the American public’s mood is sour – but with some signs of enduring optimism.

In Pew Research Center surveys over the past year, most people have said they are dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States and that they think the country’s best days are behind them.

In recent decades, Americans also have grown less trustful of each other and of institutions, including the federal government, both major political parties, the mainstream media and colleges and universities. 

Compared with people in other countries, more Americans express gloomy views about how their democracy is working and doubts about whether fellow citizens have good morals. 

And when asked to look ahead to 2050, upward of half of U.S. adults say they think the economy will be weaker, the U.S. will be less important in the world, the country will be more politically divided and the American system of government will work worse than it does today. 

Still, many Americans express some optimism when they are asked to think about the future in general terms. 

Most people say they feel “hopeful” when they think about the future, and 54% say they feel “happy” when they ponder days to come. 

About as many Americans say they are optimistic (48%) as say they are pessimistic (51%) about the future of the country as a whole. 

And even on some questions where the balance of opinion leans negative, there are signs of recent improvement in the public’s mood. 

Compared with polling in 2023, more U.S. adults now think that in the coming decades, the country’s economy will grow stronger and its political divisions will become less sharp. 

And satisfaction with the country’s direction was lower during much of the period from 2020 to 2024 than it was during 2025 and at the start of this year. 

Feelings about the country’s direction are closely linked with people’s political leanings. During President Donald Trump’s second term, Republicans have been much happier than Democrats with how things are going. A few short years ago, when Joe Biden was president, Democrats tended to be more positive than Republicans. 

And views about the country’s future are also connected with age. When asked to look ahead to what things might be like in 2050, the youngest U.S. adults express more pessimistic views than the country’s older adults do. 

The full report can be viewed HERE.