A growing number of Americans are walking away from friendships, family ties, and even romantic relationships because of political disagreements — a trend researchers say may be worsening the nation’s deepening polarization. But for Catholics, the findings also raise urgent spiritual questions about charity, forgiveness, and the ability to see Christ in those with whom we disagree.
According to a new large-scale study published in PNAS Nexus and reported by StudyFinds, 37 percent of Americans say they have lost at least one relationship over politics. The research examined political divisions across friendships, families, workplaces, and romantic relationships, revealing just how deeply partisan conflict has entered everyday life.
The researchers warned that these “political breakups” are “a troubling sign for the health of a democracy,” adding that they also affect “the health of citizens as well,” according to StudyFinds.
The study found that friendships were the most common casualty of political division. Among people who reported losing a relationship over politics, 62 percent said they lost a friend, while 40 percent lost a family relationship, 29 percent lost a coworker connection, and 10 percent lost a romantic partner.
Researchers Mertcan Güngör and Peter H. Ditto of the University of California, Irvine analyzed responses from nearly 3,800 participants across several datasets, including a nationally representative YouGov survey conducted in April 2025.
One of the most striking findings involved which political groups were more likely to end relationships. According to the study, Democrats were more likely than Republicans to report political breakups. In one survey conducted before the 2024 presidential election, 66 percent of Democrats who experienced a political breakup said they initiated it, compared to 27 percent of Republicans.
The researchers also found that Americans who experienced political breakups tended to develop colder and more distorted views of those on the other side politically. On a 100-point “warmth scale,” participants who had political breakups rated political opponents nearly eight points colder than those who had not experienced such divisions.
According to StudyFinds, people who lost relationships over politics also became more likely to exaggerate the extremism of opposing voters. Democrats who had political breakups overestimated Republican agreement with white nationalism, while Republicans who had political breakups significantly overestimated how many Democrats believed most white Americans are racist.
The researchers suggested that cutting off relationships may worsen polarization by eliminating personal connections that help people understand opposing viewpoints. After relationships dissolve, many people may rely more heavily on partisan media portrayals of their political opponents, reinforcing hostility and suspicion.
For Catholics, the findings stand in stark contrast to Christ’s repeated call to love one’s enemies and pursue reconciliation. Political convictions matter, especially when moral issues are at stake, but the Gospel also challenges believers to resist hatred, contempt, and division.
In today’s climate, Catholics may increasingly find themselves navigating difficult conversations with loved ones whose political views differ sharply from their own. Yet the Church consistently teaches that every person possesses inherent dignity, even amid profound disagreement.
As polarization intensifies across America, the study serves as a sobering reminder that political identity can easily become more powerful than personal relationships — and even more powerful than the Christian call to charity.
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