Nearly Half Of Americans Oppose U.S. Strikes On Suspected Drug Boats Near Venezuela, Poll Finds

A Reuters/Ipsos survey finds that a large segment of Americans disapprove of recent U.S. military strikes on boats suspected of carrying illegal drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela. The poll highlights deep partisan divides and rising legal and constitutional concerns over the campaign.

Poll Results: Overall, 48% of respondents said they opposed conducting the strikes without prior judicial or court authorization, 34% said they supported them, and 18% were undecided.

Partisan Breakdown: Support and opposition split sharply along party lines. Among Republicans, 67% supported the strikes and 19% opposed them. Among Democrats, 80% opposed the strikes and just 9% supported them.

Scope And Casualties: According to reporting, there have been at least 22 strikes since Sept. 2 that have killed 87 people. U.S. officials describe the targets as so-called "narcoterrorists" — Venezuelan groups designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organizations that allegedly transport drugs to the United States.

Legal And Constitutional Questions: Legal experts and critics have questioned the lawfulness of the campaign. Observers note that little public evidence has been released to confirm that the vessels were carrying drugs or that destroying boats was necessary rather than stopping them, seizing cargo and detaining those aboard. Critics also point to constitutional concerns, saying only Congress — not the president — has the power to declare war and authorize a prolonged campaign of strikes.

Allegations Of Excessive Force: Concerns intensified after reports that a commander overseeing the operation ordered a follow-up strike to kill two survivors, allegedly following an instruction attributed to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth that "everyone should be killed." The allegation has drawn strong criticism and raised questions about rules of engagement and accountability.

Related Political Reaction: The poll also asked about public reaction to President Trump's pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who had been serving a 45-year sentence in the United States after being convicted of using his office to aid traffickers. A majority — 64% — opposed the pardon, while 8% supported it and the remainder were unsure or declined to answer. President Trump defended the pardon, saying he acted in response to pleas from Hondurans and asserting, without providing evidence, that Hernandez had been the target of a "witch hunt" by the Biden administration.

Survey Methods: The online Reuters/Ipsos survey collected responses from 4,434 U.S. adults over six days and reports a margin of error of ±2 percentage points.

Context: The poll comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas as the U.S. weighs additional options to counter drug trafficking from the region. The results underscore public unease about the legality, human cost and oversight of the strikes, and they show broad skepticism about the Hernandez pardon.