A recent AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey has uncovered a significant fracture in President Donald Trump’s typically unwavering Republican support base regarding his controversial pursuit of Greenland. The poll, conducted February 5-8, indicates approximately 70% of American adults disapprove of Trump’s handling of the Greenland situation, surpassing general foreign policy disapproval rates and revealing a notable vulnerability for the administration.
While Trump maintains strong Republican approval on key issues like immigration and the economy (around 80%), his Greenland ambitions have created an unusual divide within his own party. The data shows nearly half of Republicans disapprove of his attempt to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory, which the president has justified as crucial for national security in the Arctic region.
The generational divide among Republicans is particularly striking, with about 60% of those under 45 expressing disapproval compared to approximately 40% of older party members. This stands in stark contrast to the 70% of Republicans who generally approve of Trump’s overall foreign policy approach.
Trump had argued that U.S. control of Greenland was necessary to counter growing Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic, despite America’s existing military presence in the region. However, even supporters like Ayman Amir, a 46-year-old Trump backer from Houston, questioned the approach: ‘We can’t take it by force. We don’t have a right to do that,’ he told researchers.
The president abandoned his aggressive stance late last month after reportedly reaching a framework agreement regarding access to Greenland with NATO assistance. The episode represents one of several recent moves that have strained relationships with key allies, a central topic at this week’s Munich Security Conference.
Despite the Greenland controversy, Trump’s overall foreign policy approval has remained steady at approximately 40% among American adults, unchanged in recent months. The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,156 adults with a margin of error of ±3.9 percentage points overall and ±6.1 points for Republicans.