A recent poll conducted by AP-NORC reveals that President Donald Trump‘s insistence on asserting control over Greenland has faced considerable disapproval, even among his own party members. The survey, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research, indicates that approximately 70% of US adults disapprove of Trump’s handling of the Greenland situation, which is a semiautonomous territory of the NATO ally Denmark. This disapproval rate is higher than that for his overall foreign policy, suggesting that this particular issue may represent a significant vulnerability for the administration.
Only about 24% of American adults approve of Trump’s approach to Greenland. Among Republicans, opinions are notably more divided; roughly half disapprove of the attempt to incorporate the icy territory into the United States. Despite Trump’s assertions about the necessity of Greenland for national security in the Arctic, the poll shows a lack of consensus even within his political base.
Conducted from 5 to 8 February, the poll follows Trump’s decision to eliminate tariffs aimed at pressuring European nations to support US control of Greenland, occurring after a protracted period of advocacy for American intervention concerning the territory. Traditionally, Trump’s supporters are unwavering, yet Greenland appears to be an exception to this trend. The survey indicated that his approval ratings among Republicans on this issue are substantially lower than for other critical subjects, such as the economy and immigration, where support exceeds 80%. Notably, around 70% of Republicans approve of Trump’s overall foreign policy stance.
Trump has argued that control over Greenland is essential for countering perceived threats from Russia and China in the Arctic, despite the existing American military presence in the region. Additional polling, including a January survey by the Pew Research Centre, has shown that Republican opinions are divided on the US acquisition of Greenland, while Americans in general tend to oppose such a move.
The president has since withdrawn threats to seize the territory by force after suggesting that a framework for a potential agreement regarding access to Greenland was established with assistance from NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. This episode is one of several actions taken by Trump that have strained relationships with key allies in the past year.
As Western leaders convene to address transatlantic tensions at the Munich Security Conference, Trump’s support concerning Greenland remains limited both domestically and internationally. Despite significant efforts to secure control over the territory, his overall approval ratings on foreign policy remain steady, with approximately 40% of US adults expressing approval—a figure that has shown little variation in recent months.
Furthermore, younger Republicans take a particularly critical stance toward Trump’s handling of the Greenland situation. About 60% of Republicans under 45 disapprove of his leadership on this issue, compared with roughly 40% of older Republicans. The approval rating for Trump’s actions related to Greenland is markedly lower than the approval levels among younger Republicans on issues such as foreign policy, the economy, and immigration.
This article used information from The Associated Press.