A staggering 75% of the American populace is against the idea of the United States attempting to seize control of Greenland, as revealed by a recent CNN poll conducted by SSRS. This reflects significant public resistance to President Donald Trump’s ambitions for territorial expansion. Only 25% of respondents expressed support for the U.S. trying to take over this Danish territory. Interestingly, even among Trump's own supporters, opinions are split; 50% of Republicans and those leaning Republican are in favor, while the remaining half oppose the notion. In stark contrast, a remarkable 94% of Democrats and those leaning Democratic are firmly against this move, with 80% expressing strong opposition. Furthermore, about 80% of independents who do not align with either party share this disapproval.
On Wednesday, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, declaring that any outcome less than U.S. control of Greenland would be deemed 'unacceptable.' This statement came just before a meeting at the White House involving Danish officials, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, although it appeared to yield little progress towards an agreement between the involved parties.
The survey indicates a broader reluctance among Americans regarding U.S. foreign policy aimed at expansion, despite Trump advocating for a military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. After such a hypothetical capture, Trump suggested that America would effectively 'run' the country, further stirring controversy over his approach to foreign relations, especially as he issues threats towards Iran concerning their crackdown on protests.
Approximately 58% of Americans harbor concerns that Trump has overstepped in his quest to extend America’s influence over other nations. Only one-third of those surveyed believe his actions have been appropriate. Moreover, 55% assert that he has already gone too far in leveraging U.S. military force to fulfill his objectives. There is a growing sentiment that Trump's foreign policy is detrimental to America's global standing, with 57% expressing this viewpoint, an increase from 53% last summer.
When it comes to military intervention in Venezuela, opinions are almost evenly divided: 52% oppose U.S. military action, while 48% support it. Many Americans are worried about the stability of the Venezuelan government and fear a prolonged U.S. military presence in the region.
Ahead of a scheduled visit from Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado to the White House, there exists substantial opposition (58%) to U.S. efforts to control Venezuela's government once Maduro is out of power. Here, strong opposition surpasses strong support, with 31% opposed and only 13% in favor.
Most Americans lack confidence that U.S. intervention will lead to a stable government in Venezuela within a year. Approximately two-thirds believe that American involvement is likely to result in a long-term troop deployment.
Partisan divisions on the initial military action in Venezuela are stark: 80% of Democrats and those leaning Democratic are against it, while 80% of Republicans and Republican-leaning individuals support it. However, Democrats exhibit a stronger opposition to U.S. attempts to influence Venezuela's government post-Maduro removal and are more unified in their criticism of Trump’s military strategies and expansionist goals. A majority (58%) of Democratic-aligned respondents strongly oppose these efforts, compared to just 28% of Republican-aligned individuals who feel strongly supportive.
The findings also suggest that many Americans perceive the desire for access to Venezuelan oil and a demonstration of military might as crucial motivations behind U.S. actions in Venezuela. In comparison, fewer respondents regard the government's stated aims—such as bringing Maduro to justice in the U.S. or combating drug trafficking—as primary factors.
Notably, only 26% of participants believe that enhancing the lives of the Venezuelan people significantly influenced the U.S. decision to intervene.
The CNN poll was carried out by SSRS through both online and phone interviews from January 9-12, encompassing a random national sample of 1,209 adults. The results for the entire sample carry a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. This report includes contributions from CNN’s Edward Wu.
