Poll: 75% Oppose US Move to Take Greenland, CNN Poll Finds
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Key takeaways
- Public stance on Greenland: 75% oppose the US attempting to take control of Greenland, while 25% support it.
- Partisan divides: 50% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents support the move, 50% oppose. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are heavily against, with 94% opposing (80% strongly).
- Concerns about expansionism: Nearly six in ten Americans are worried Trump has gone too far in expanding US power, and 57% say his foreign policy decisions have hurt America’s standing.
- Venezuela policy mixed: 52% oppose US military action in Venezuela, 48% favor it. After Maduro’s removal, 58% oppose US efforts to control Venezuela’s government, with 31% strongly opposed vs. 13% strongly in favor.
Table of contents
- Overview
- Greenland policy: public opinion
- Partisan divides
- Venezuela action
- Methodology
- Related reads
Overview
CNN’s poll, conducted by SSRS online and by phone from January 9-12 among a random national sample of 1,209 adults, shows broad reservations about expanding U.S. territorial reach. The study finds that 75% of Americans oppose the United States attempting to take control of Greenland, with only 25% in favor.
Partisan splits are notable but nuanced: 50% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say they support the move, while the other half oppose. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are overwhelmingly opposed, at 94% overall, including 80% who say they strongly oppose it. About 8 in 10 independents who don’t lean toward either party are opposed as well.
Trump signaled on Truth Social that “anything less” than U.S. control would be unacceptable, signaling how aggressive messaging frames the discussion ahead of a White House meeting with Danish officials, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio that did little to close gaps.
Greenland policy: public opinion
Even as Trump highlights a broader expansionist rhetoric, Americans show limited appetite for a sweeping foreign policy overhaul. The poll indicates nearly six in ten are concerned he has gone too far in expanding American power over other countries, and only about a third believe his moves have been “about right.”
There is also concern about long-term consequences: 57% say Trump’s foreign policy decisions have hurt America’s standing in the world, up from 53% last summer. The data suggests the public wants a cautious approach to international engagement, not a unilateral escalation.
Partisan divides
The findings underscore a real partisan divide around foreign-policy actions. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are markedly skeptical of expanding U.S. power, while Republicans show more supportive stances on specific maneuvers. The data also show a sharper contrast on Venezuela policy, where initial support from some GOP segments contrasts with broader Democratic opposition to actions aimed at reshaping Venezuela’s government after Maduro’s removal.
Democrats are more firmly opposed to U.S. efforts to control Venezuela’s government post-Maduro and more aligned with concerns about the efficacy and consequences of using military force abroad, even as Republican-leaning voters show greater willingness to back a forceful approach in some scenarios.
Venezuela action
On Venezuela, 52% oppose the U.S. decision to take military action, while 48% favor it. As opposition leader María Corina Machado was set to visit the White House, broader opposition (58%) to US efforts to dictate Venezuela’s government grew, with strong opposition outpacing strong support (31% vs 13% in favor).
Initial views show a clear partisan split: 80% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents oppose the action, while 80% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents support it. Democrats tend to view these actions as counterproductive to American standing and global credibility.
Methodology
The CNN poll was conducted by SSRS online and by phone from January 9-12 among a random national sample of 1,209 adults. Results for the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3.1 percentage points.
Additional context from the study highlights that demographics and partisanship strongly shape views on expansionism and military engagement, with independents showing varied opinions and Republicans and Democrats often lining up in opposite directions on foreign interventions.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/15/politics/greenland-cnn-poll
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