The 77% of Americans who believe the nation is divided on the most important values is a new high in Gallup’s trend. Americans are split on whether Donald Trump will do more to unite or more to divide the country.
Seventy-seven percent of Americans, a new high, believe the nation is divided on the most important values, while 21% believe it is united and in agreement. Over the past 20+ years, the public has tended to perceive the nation as being more divided than united, apart from two surveys conducted shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The latest poll was conducted Nov. 9-13 after a contentious presidential campaign involving the two of the least popular candidates in postwar U.S. history, and as protests erupted nationwide in response to Donald Trump’s victory.
All major subgroups of Americans share the view that the nation is divided, though Republicans (68%) are less likely to believe this than independents (78%) and Democrats (83%). That is consistent with the findings in the past two polls, conducted after the 2004 and 2012 presidential elections, in which the winning party’s supporters were less likely to perceive the nation as divided.
Perceptions That Americans Are Greatly Divided on the Most Important Values, by Political Party
Republicans Independents Democrats % % % 2016 Nov 9-13 68 78 83 2012 Nov 9-12 80 67 63 2004 Nov 19-21 59 70 70 Gallup Public Not Convinced Trump Will Unite the Country
Via Gallup