Poll: 62% Of Americans Oppose Military Action In Greenland; Broad Doubts About U.S. Interventions Abroad

A new Yahoo/YouGov survey finds strong public resistance to U.S. military action in Greenland and widespread skepticism about interventions in several other countries. The poll — conducted Jan. 8–12, 2026 — reflects growing public reluctance to deploy American forces overseas even as administration officials discuss a range of options.

Key Findings

According to the survey of 1,709 U.S. adults, 62% of respondents said they would oppose U.S. military intervention in Greenland, while just 14% said they would support it. Opposition also topped support for potential interventions in Colombia (53% oppose, 24% support), Mexico (55% oppose, 25% support) and Cuba (52% oppose, 26% support). Iran was the only case where opposition fell just short of a majority: 48% opposed military action and 29% supported it.

Partisan and Public Attitudes

Support for military options is muted even among Republicans. Roughly half of Republican respondents said they would favor action in some of the listed countries, while about a quarter opposed it and another quarter were unsure. Overall, only 30% of Americans said it is generally "worth it" for the U.S. to intervene abroad because it tends to make the world better; 47% said intervention generally distracts from domestic priorities.

Administration Signals: The survey comes amid public comments and policy signals from the White House, including discussion of Greenland. A senior administration official told USA Today to expect "meaningful U.S. action related to the Arctic island within 'weeks or months.'"

Attitudes Toward Coercive Territorial Action

Only 12% of respondents said the U.S. should take control of other countries by force if it serves U.S. interests, while 67% opposed that approach. Similarly, just 28% agreed with the view that the U.S. should unapologetically use military force in the hemisphere to secure its interests — a view endorsed by some senior advisers — with about half of Republicans expressing agreement.

Context And Methodology

The Yahoo/YouGov poll interviewed a nationally representative online sample of 1,709 U.S. adults from Jan. 8 to Jan. 12, 2026. Results were weighted by gender, age, race, education, 2024 election turnout and presidential vote, party identification and voter registration status, using demographic targets from the 2019 American Community Survey. Party ID was weighted to an estimated distribution at the time of the election (31% Democratic, 32% Republican). Respondents were selected from YouGov’s opt-in panel. The survey’s margin of error is approximately ±3.1%.

Note: This report summarizes public opinion data from the Yahoo/YouGov survey and contextual statements from public officials. All percentages and dates are drawn from the poll and public remarks reported during the period indicated.