A Reuters/Ipsos poll finds about one-third of Americans approve of the U.S. military strike that captured Venezuela's president, while 72% fear excessive U.S. involvement. The survey shows stark partisan divides: 65% of Republicans back the operation versus 11% of Democrats. Many Republicans also favor stationing troops and controlling Venezuelan oil, even as significant majorities express concerns about costs and risks to service members. The online poll sampled 1,248 adults and has a margin of error of about ±3 percentage points.
One-Third of Americans Approve U.S. Strike on Venezuela; 72% Fear Over-Involvement, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds
A woman holds a Venezuelan flag during a press conference on the U.S. strikes in Venezuela, in Doral, Miami-Dade County, Florida, U.S., January 5, 2026. REUTERS/Marco Bello
WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) — A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday found roughly one in three Americans approve of the U.S. military operation that removed Venezuela's president, while 72% say they fear the United States will become overly involved in the South American country.
The two-day online survey, conducted Sunday and Monday, revealed wide partisan divisions: 65% of Republicans supported the action ordered by Republican President Donald Trump, compared with 11% of Democrats and 23% of independents.
U.S. forces launched a pre-dawn raid in Caracas on Saturday that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. U.S. military authorities transferred Maduro to federal prosecutors on allegations tied to drug trafficking.
The raid and President Trump's subsequent remark that the United States would now "run" Venezuela represented a sharp turn for a leader who had often criticized prior administrations for foreign entanglements.
Republican Support For 'Dominating' Regional Policy
The Reuters/Ipsos poll also found substantial Republican backing for a more assertive U.S. role in the Western Hemisphere. About 43% of Republicans agreed with the statement, "The United States should have a policy of dominating affairs in the Western Hemisphere," while 19% disagreed and the remainder were unsure or declined to answer.
On Saturday, Mr. Trump said the U.S. would "run" Venezuela for an unspecified period and left open the option of deploying ground troops. He also vowed to overhaul Venezuela's oil sector, saying the United States needs "total access" to that country's large oil fields.
According to the poll, 60% of Republicans supported stationing U.S. troops in Venezuela (30% of respondents overall), and 59% of Republicans favored the U.S. taking control of Venezuelan oil fields.
"If they don't behave, we will do a second strike," Mr. Trump said, suggesting Washington might exert control by intimidating Venezuelan leaders rather than by direct governance.
Despite strong support among Republicans for an assertive approach, many voiced concerns about deeper involvement: 54% of Republicans said they worried the U.S. would become too involved, the same share expressed concern about the financial cost, and 64% worried about risks to U.S. military personnel.
The online poll sampled 1,248 U.S. adults nationwide and put Mr. Trump's approval rating at 42%, up from 39% in a December Reuters/Ipsos survey. The reported margin of error is about three percentage points.
(Reporting by Jason Lange in Washington; editing by Scott Malone and Cynthia Osterman)
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