President Trump threatens to impose tariffs on countries that trade with Iran
President Donald Trump has threatened 25% tariffs and possible military action amid deadly protests and internet blackouts in Iran.
Two new polls show that most Americans do not approve of President Donald Trump’s recent intervention in Venezuela, nor do they approve of his threats of military action against other countries, including Greenland and Iran.
According to a January 14 poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, more than half of American adults think President Trump has gone “too far” in using the U.S. military to intervene in other countries.
A Quinnipiac University poll released the same day found that seven out of 10 American voters believe the president should seek approval from Congress before taking military action against other countries.
The United States’ stance on foreign military intervention is based on growing anxiety among Americans and some members of the president’s own party about the administration’s foreign policy stance.
The first weeks of this year have been dominated by President Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela and threats of further military action against Greenland, Iran, Colombia, and Mexico. In 2025, the administration pushed for multiple rounds of peace talks and invited foreign leaders, but a series of polls and a crushing defeat for Democrats in the November election showed the economy was coming under increasing pressure among voters.
Over the past week, the president has said the United States needs the Arctic island for national security, stepped up his threat to occupy Greenland and warned of a possible military attack on Iran as the Iranian regime violently cracks down on protesters.
Most Americans don’t want him to do that, according to the latest polls.
In a four-day Quinnipiac University poll, 70% of voters said the United States should not get involved with Iran. More than eight in 10 respondents said they opposed attempts to occupy Greenland by force. More than half of respondents (55%) said they opposed the United States’ attempt to purchase Greenland from Denmark, while 37% said they would support the purchase.
Both Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly said the territory is not for sale.
Nearly half of Americans want the U.S. to play a “less active” role abroad, and about a third say the U.S.’s current role is “about right,” according to an Associated Press (AP-NORC) poll. About 2 in 10 American adults want the country to be more involved in the world, including about 1 in 10 Republicans, according to the pollster.
On Venezuela, Americans were even more divided. US special forces attacked the country on January 3 and captured leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. They were extradited to the United States and arraigned on drug trafficking charges.
An AP-NORC poll found that 6 in 10 Americans, or 57%, disapproved of President Trump’s handling of the situation in Venezuela. Other polls showed a disapproval rating of 45%, while around 47% supported the strategy.
Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. She can be reached at the following address: kapalmer@usatoday.com And to X@Kathryn Purml. Sign up for her daily politics newsletter here.
