At least 75 per cent of Americans oppose US President Donald Trump's efforts to take control of Greenland, according to a new CNN poll released Thursday.
The survey found that 52 per cent of respondents strongly oppose any US attempt to seize the semi-autonomous Danish territory, while only one in four Americans support the proposal. Trump says that "acquiring" Greenland is vital to US national security and would strengthen NATO's position in the Arctic.
The poll, conducted between January 9 and January 12, surveyed 1,209 adults through online and telephone interviews.
Republicans are evenly divided, with 50 per cent supporting the US president's position and 50 per cent opposing it. Democrats overwhelmingly reject the idea, with 94 per cent opposed overall, including 80 per cent who say they strongly oppose US control of Greenland.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, only about 17 per cent of Americans support the US president's efforts to occupy Greenland, while the rest are either opposed or uncertain.
The polling follows diplomatic talks at the White House on Wednesday involving foreign ministers from Denmark and Greenland, US Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The discussions failed to resolve the dispute, with Denmark's foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen saying afterward that the two sides continue to have a "fundamental disagreement" over Trump's proposal.
The Trump administration claims that NATO would be strengthened by US control of Greenland and that American protection would better shield Greenland from emerging threats in the Arctic region.
The poll reveals broader public concern about Trump's use of power abroad. More than half of Americans said the president has gone too far in attempting to expand US influence over other countries. Scepticism is particularly strong regarding US involvement in Venezuela.
US forces, on January 3, raided Venezuela, captured their leader Nicolas Maduro and brought him to New York on drug trafficking charges. Maduro has claimed he was "kidnapped", with many International powers like China, Russia, Spain and Colombia, calling the move an "abduction." Maduro's second-in-command, Delcy Rodriguez, took charge as interim President. Days later, Trump, in a Truth Social post, declared himself "acting President of Venezuela."
As per the CNN poll, 62 per cent of respondents said they lack confidence that Venezuela will have a stable government within a year, while 67 per cent believe it is at least somewhat likely that US military action would lead to a prolonged deployment of American troops.
A majority said access to Venezuelan oil played a major role in US decision-making, while 39 per cent pointed to efforts to bring Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to stand trial in the US. Only 26 per cent believed improving the lives of Venezuelans was a major factor.
