BLUF: Happy 250th America!
As America turns 250 this Independence Day, the 2026 Reagan Institute's Summer Survey offers a fitting gut check for a couple questions that are near to our hearts: do Americans still believe in the country our former president described as a "shining city on a hill,” and how do they view her role in the world?
The headline observations are reassuring. Americans want the United States to lead in the world and they believe a strong military is essential to keeping the peace. Respondents also generally say America has been a force for good over its 250 years. That conviction spans all of the age groups surveyed — even among younger Americans, who pollsters specifically tested out of concern that the next generation might be turning inward. This data says they aren't.
Nearly three out of four young respondents want the U.S. to stay engaged and lead internationally — by a margin of almost four to one and 85% say a strong military is essential to peace and prosperity.
The clearest point of consensus in the entire survey is China. Across the political spectrum, Americans see Beijing's military buildup and its continued theft of American technology as direct threats — not distant abstractions, but risks to our own communities. That clarity matters. It's the kind of durable, bipartisan conviction that binds us together as a united people who stand ready to resist authoritarian regimes and the threat of Communism.
That's the larger story as our beloved nation turns 250. Belief in American strength, in a capable military, and in this country's role as a force for good isn’t fading. If anything, the survey is a reminder that on the things that matter most such as security, leadership, and a willingness to stand up for freedom, Americans still speak under a united voice.
And on this 250th birthday, we want to take a moment to recognize those who have fought to make that voice mean something. To every single servicemember who’s worn this nation’s uniform – past, present, and especially those who stand forward-deployed far from home – thank you. The freedoms we celebrate this weekend, the fireworks, the flags, the gatherings, exist because of your selfless sacrifice.
From all of us at Steer,
God Bless America and Happy Independence Day!
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