Poll: Americans split on whether being U.S.-born is important for being ‘truly American’
Supreme Court rejects Trump's attempt to limit birthright citizenship01:47June 30, 2026, 11:23 AM EDTBy Bridget BowmanThe Supreme Court’s Tuesday decision on birthright citizenship comes as Americans are split on the question of whether being born in the U.S. is central to American identity, with stark partisan divides on the issue, according to the recent NBC News poll.
New data from the survey poll finds a slim majority — 54% — say being born in the U.S. is important to being “truly American,” while 45% say it is not important. Overall, Americans rank several other traits as far more important to American identity.
The poll tested whether Americans view eight different ideas or traits as important to being “truly American.” The survey was sponsored by More Perfect, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to advancing democracy, and conducted by Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research Associates and GOP pollster Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies. The results were gathered ahead of the Supreme Court’s decision striking down an executive order from President Donald Trump, which sought to restrict birthright citizenship for children of temporary visitors or of people who entered the country illegally.
Being born in the U.S. was at the bottom of the list of traits tested in the poll, with more Americans saying seven other traits were very or somewhat important. Those include believing in the ideas of liberty and equality, voting in elections, being involved in your local community, speaking English, sharing American customs and traditions, believing in God, and being actively engaged in the political process by donating to or volunteering for a candidate for office or cause.
When looking just at the share of respondents who rated a trait as “very important,” being born in the U.S. ranked second-to-last among the eight traits tested.
Overwhelming majorities of Americans say that believing in the ideas of liberty and equality, along with voting in elections, are “very important” to being truly American.
There is a stark partisan divide over whether being born in the U.S. is key to being truly American. Three in four Republicans say it is important, while nearly two-thirds of Democrats say it is not. Independents are split, with 52% saying it is not important and 48% taking the opposite view.
President Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters also view being born in the U.S. as central to American identity, with 78% of Trump voters and 83% of Republicans who align more with his “Make America Great Again” movement saying it is important to being truly American. A smaller share of Republicans who do not align with the MAGA movement (64%) agree.
Americans are also divided over the importance of being U.S.-born depending on their age and education levels.
Those ages 65 and older are far more likely to say being born in the country is important (73%). But 60% of those between the ages of 18 and 34 say it is not important.
And while majorities of Americans with postgraduate or college degrees say being born in the U.S. is not important, majorities of those with some college education or a high school degree say it is key to being truly American.
Americans across political, social and economic spectrums agreed that voting and believing in liberty and equality were central to being considered “truly American.” There was also broad agreement across those usual divides that being involved in one’s local community is also a key trait.
Majorities of independents, Democrats and Republicans also agree that actively engaging in politics, including donating or volunteering for a candidate or cause, is important to being truly American.
But the country’s political polarization also meant that Americans are sharply divided over whether other traits and ideas define the national identity, along with being born in the U.S.
The widest gap between Democrats and Republicans is over the importance of believing in God, with 83% of Republicans saying it is an important American trait and just 35% of Democrats saying the same.
Americans are also politically polarized over the importance of speaking English. Nearly all Republicans (93%) say speaking English is important to be considered truly American, while 53% of Democrats say the same.
An overwhelming share of Republicans (94%) also say sharing American customs and traditions is important, while 77% of independents believe the same, followed by 65% of Democrats.
The poll was conducted May 29-June 7 and surveyed 3,000 adults nationally via a mix of telephone interviews and an online survey sent via text message. The margin of error is plus or minus 1.8 percentage points.
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Bridget BowmanBridget Bowman is a national political reporter for NBC News.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
