AP-NORC Poll Finds Disapproval Of Trump’s Foreign Interventions/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A new AP-NORC poll shows that most Americans believe President Trump has overreached in using military power abroad, particularly in Venezuela. While Republicans mostly back the president’s actions, Democrats and independents strongly disapprove. The poll reveals broad skepticism about U.S. foreign interventions under Trump’s leadership.
Trump Venezuela Policy Poll Quick Looks
- 56% of U.S. adults say Trump has “gone too far” militarily
- Poll conducted after Maduro’s capture in U.S.-led Venezuela operation
- Majorities disapprove of Trump’s handling of foreign policy and Venezuela
- Republicans largely support Trump’s approach, but few want more action
- Democrats and independents drive disapproval of intervention tactics
- Public split on whether Venezuela action helps U.S. security or economy
- Majority see Venezuela move as positive for combating drug trafficking
- Nearly half of Americans want less U.S. involvement in global affairs
- GOP more likely to say America’s current global role is “about right”
- Foreign policy remains a politically divisive issue in 2026
Deep Look: AP-NORC Poll Finds Disapproval Of Trump’s Foreign Interventions
WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans believe President Donald Trump has overstepped in his use of military power abroad, especially following the U.S. operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, according to a new poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The survey, conducted January 8–11, finds that 56% of U.S. adults think Trump has “gone too far” in foreign military interventions. This sentiment is echoed in broader disapproval of how the president is handling foreign policy — including the situation in Venezuela, where U.S. military forces intervened in late 2025.
The poll reveals an American public divided over Trump’s aggressive global posture, which includes plans to exert control over Venezuelan oil fields, threats to “seize” Greenland, and promises to send aid to Iranian protesters. While some Americans see the Venezuela operation as helpful in stopping drug trafficking and potentially improving life for Venezuelan citizens, fewer believe it benefits U.S. economic or security interests.
Partisan lines remain sharply drawn. About 9 in 10 Democrats and nearly 6 in 10 independents say Trump’s military actions have gone too far. Only around 2 in 10 Republicans agree. Most Republicans — about 71% — believe Trump’s actions have been “about right,” and only a small fraction, around 10%, support him going further.
Public opinion on Venezuela itself is mixed. While 57% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the Venezuela situation — just below the 61% who disapprove of his foreign policy overall — many still see specific benefits. Roughly half of Americans say U.S. intervention in Venezuela is “mostly a good thing” for stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the country. About 44% believe the move will ultimately help the Venezuelan people, who have endured years of economic and political hardship under Maduro’s rule.
However, Americans remain divided on whether the intervention will improve national security or the U.S. economy. A significant portion believes it will have no meaningful impact in either area.
Republicans are far more likely to see benefits, especially on the drug trafficking issue. About 8 in 10 GOP respondents say the intervention is mostly good for stopping illegal drugs, though just 6 in 10 say it helps the U.S. economy.
The poll also highlights growing public fatigue with American involvement in global conflicts. Nearly half of U.S. adults say the country should take a “less active” role in world affairs, while about a third believe the current level of involvement is appropriate. Only 2 in 10 say the U.S. should become more active — including just 1 in 10 Republicans.
This shift comes as the Trump administration doubles down on foreign policy aggression in its second term. While Republicans once favored a more isolationist, “America First” strategy — the cornerstone of Trump’s 2016 campaign — the party’s base now seems to support his bolder global agenda, albeit with limits.
Among Democrats and independents, a desire for the U.S. to scale back global engagement has grown sharply in recent months. Meanwhile, Republican views have slightly shifted in favor of maintaining the status quo: 64% of Republicans now say the U.S. role in world affairs is “about right,” up from 55% in September. Only 25% say America should take a less active role, compared to 34% just a few months ago.
Despite rising tensions with Venezuela, Denmark, and Iran — all targets of Trump’s recent foreign policy moves — the president’s approval ratings remain relatively steady in his second term. His approach continues to appeal to core supporters, but alienates many independents and energizes opposition from Democrats.
Trump has framed recent military actions as necessary for protecting American interests and combating global instability, especially in regions linked to drug trafficking and authoritarian regimes. However, this approach has also drawn criticism for appearing inconsistent with the president’s past non-interventionist rhetoric and for risking U.S. relationships abroad.
The AP-NORC poll, which surveyed 1,203 adults using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, has a margin of sampling error of ±3.9 percentage points.
As Trump looks ahead to the 2026 midterm elections and positions his administration for further foreign policy actions, the public response to his Venezuela intervention underscores a delicate balancing act. Americans may support strong leadership, but many are wary of prolonged entanglements overseas — particularly if the benefits to U.S. citizens remain unclear.
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