Americans Starved for Unity, Doubtful It Can Be Found

As clear as Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election ultimately was, the election result, as well as the campaign that preceded it, once again painted a picture of a country divided. There now seems to be an almost insurmountable chasm in public opinion on pretty much any issue, be it abortion rights, immigration, climate policy or healthcare, making political compromise – a key ingredient in any functioning democracy – seem impossible.

According to a recent poll by YouGov and The Economist, Americans are well aware of this problem and would like to see it addressed. 84 percent of respondents, including 82 percent of Democrats and 89 percent of Republicans, think that Americans of different political views should come together and work out their differences. And yet, despite this rare bipartisan agreement, very few believe that Americans will actually unite. Just 25 percent of respondents, 15 percent of Democrats and 38 percent of Republicans, think that Americans will come together and work out their differences. With respect to the 2024 election, 35 percent of the 1,500 U.S. adults polled think that it divided the country even further, versus 27 percent who think it brough the country closer together.