Faulkner Quoted in USA Today Article on Americans’ Mood As the US Celebrates Its 250th Anniversary

June 22, 2026

USA Today

Carol Faulkner

History Department

Government

United States

USA Today

Carol Faulkner

As the U.S. reaches its 250th anniversary, polls consistently show Americans are more pessimistic than optimistic about the country's future, with deep partisan divisions shaping how—and whether—people plan to celebrate the milestone.

Disputes over Trump-branded anniversary events have led some states and performers to withdraw, while generational and political gaps are reflected in who intends to mark the occasion at all.

“This might be a time of thinking about liberty, equality, the pursuit of happiness,” says Carol Faulkner, professor of history. But in some ways this time is different, she says. “It's much more partisan. It's really much more about a divisive president than the 1876 or the 1976 commemorations.”

Read more in the USA Today article, “America is in a mood on the cusp of our 250th birthday.”