As July 4th approaches, a significant portion of Americans share a common sentiment: the desire to display the American flag. This reflects a deep-seated patriotism and a feeling evoked by the flag’s visual presence. While images of the flag are ubiquitous in American politics, most individuals refrain from personally displaying it as a direct political statement. However, many acknowledge observing others doing so, suggesting a broader cultural phenomenon. Despite the flag’s frequent appearance on merchandise – from hats to apparel – it’s generally understood to be more than just a fashion trend. A notable trend reveals that a larger segment of the population reports seeing the flag utilized in various contexts, even if they personally wouldn’t engage in such displays. This raises an important question: what does the flag truly communicate to the American public? The majority of Americans instinctively associate seeing someone flying the flag with patriotism, immediately perceiving them as a supporter of the military. Crucially, most individuals don’t believe that observing a flag display provides insight into a person’s specific ideological stance; they don’t discern a person’s political leaning from the act of displaying the flag. Nevertheless, when individuals *do* form an impression, they’re more likely to interpret the flag display as indicative of conservative beliefs, with approximately equal rates reported by Democrats and Republicans. This observation suggests a potential correlation between flag displays and political affiliation, as Americans’ reasons and frequency for displaying the flag demonstrably vary based on their political partisanship. Republicans, for instance, are comparatively more likely to report having flown the flag themselves, both to express patriotism and, at times, to make a political statement, surpassing the reported frequency among Democrats.

The flag and protest Throughout history, polling questions have consistently explored the legality of burning or destroying the American flag as a form of protest. A persistent majority of Americans believe that such actions should be prohibited. This stance has been remarkably consistent over decades, with a similar proportion holding this view 35 years ago. Partisan differences exist, with Republicans exhibiting a particularly strong inclination to support such restrictions. Furthermore, a substantial portion of Americans maintain that the U.S. flag needn’t be flown alone to signify patriotism. A considerable 75% of respondents believe that individuals can concurrently display the flag of their country of family heritage alongside the American flag and still remain patriotic.

This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,404 U.S. adults interviewed between June 18-23, 2025. The sample was carefully weighted to accurately represent adults nationwide, considering factors such as gender, age, race, and education, as determined by the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as data from the 2024 presidential election. The margin of error for this survey is ±2.6 points.

Opinion Poll July 4th Anthony Salvanto, Ph.D., serves as CBS News’ executive director of elections and surveys, overseeing the CBS News Poll and all surveys conducted across diverse topics. He also heads the CBS News Decision Desk, which provides estimates of election outcomes on election nights. This robust survey provides valuable insight into the complex relationship Americans have with their national symbol, revealing nuanced perspectives on patriotism, protest, and the evolving meaning of the American flag.