The Economist partnered with YouGov to survey more than 1,500 Americans ahead of the nation's 250th birthday on June 29, 2026. The poll anchors the publication's America at 250 project, capturing public sentiment at a milestone moment for the republic.

Respondents weighed in on three loaded questions: the country's greatest historical failure, whether the republic will survive another 250 years, and which president ranks as the greatest. The results arrive as political polarization deepens and institutional trust erodes nationwide.

The survey reflects a broader anxiety about national trajectory. Past Economist polling has shown declining confidence in democratic institutions, and this latest snapshot quantifies that unease at a symbolic inflection point for American self-perception.

Without concrete policy solutions, the data mainly confirms what observers already suspect — a country arguing over its past while uncertain about its future.