NBC News Poll: 78% Say American Dream Harder to Reach Than a Generation Ago, 60% Retain High Confidence in Military

U.S. adults say the American Dream is further out of reach than a generation ago, according to an NBC News poll conducted from May 29 through June 7, 2026. Five percent say the dream is easier to attain, while 16 percent say the degree of difficulty is about the same.

In 2016, 69 percent said it was harder to achieve than for the prior generation. Fifty-eight percent of adults in Trump states, Harris states and swing states say the nation’s best years are behind it, compared with 38 percent who say the best years are ahead. In 2021, 41 percent said the country’s future was brighter than its past.

Fifty-two percent of adults say they have “very little” or “none at all” confidence in the federal government, up from 34 percent in 2016. Fifty-six percent say the same about Congress, compared with 48 percent in 2019 and 39 percent in 2016. Sixty-four percent of adults say they have little or no confidence in the national news media, while 11 percent say they have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence.

Thirty-six percent express significant confidence in colleges and 30 percent in public schools. S. military, down from 73 percent in December 2016.

Fifteen percent say they have little or no faith in the armed forces. Thirty-eight percent of adults express little or no confidence in the high-tech industry, up from 14 percent a decade ago. Twenty-six percent give the industry a measure of support.

Forty-three percent say they have little or no confidence in religious leaders. ” Twenty-one percent say they are “only a little” or “not at all” proud. Sixty-two percent of 2024 Trump voters say they are extremely proud, compared with 12 percent of 2024 Harris voters.