A comprehensive national survey conducted by Quinnipiac University has uncovered significant public opposition to U.S. military engagement in Venezuela, with nearly two-thirds of American voters expressing disapproval of such operations. The poll, conducted from December 11-15 among 1,035 registered voters nationwide, reveals a stark political divide on the controversial military stance.
The findings indicate that 63% of respondents oppose military action within Venezuelan territory, while only 25% support such measures. The opposition cuts across party lines but demonstrates dramatic partisan variations: 89% of Democrats, 68% of independents, and 33% of Republicans stand against military intervention in the oil-rich South American nation.
This public sentiment emerges amid escalating U.S. military activities in the Caribbean region, where American forces have maintained a substantial presence off Venezuela’s coast for nearly four months. The Pentagon has justified this deployment as part of counter-narcotics operations, conducting strikes on alleged drug vessels that have resulted in at least 95 fatalities in international waters since September.
The poll further revealed that 53% of Americans disapprove of these maritime strikes, reflecting growing public skepticism about the administration’s approach. Critics, including bipartisan lawmakers, have questioned both the legality of these operations and whether drug enforcement genuinely represents the sole motivation behind the military buildup.
The Trump administration has simultaneously intensified economic pressure on Caracas, with the president announcing a complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan waters this week. Despite these measures, the president has repeatedly suggested that land-based military operations targeting Caribbean drug traffickers could commence “very soon”—a prospect that appears to lack broad public support according to the survey results.
The Quinnipiac poll carries a margin of error of approximately 3.9 percentage points, providing a statistically significant snapshot of American public opinion as tensions with Venezuela continue to escalate.