President Donald Trump has suffered a double polling blow over his threat to seize Greenland, with a vast majority of Americans rejecting the idea.
Newsweek contacted the White House for comment via email outside regular business hours.
Why It Matters
Recent polling data shows that Trump’s efforts to acquire Greenland, either through negotiation or military force, face intense resistance among the American public.
Trump’s position has far-reaching implications for the U.S.’s global alliances, raises concerns about the future of NATO and highlights growing geopolitical competition in the Arctic region—particularly with Russia and China increasing their own activities in the area.
What To Know
As Trump refuses to rule out using force—and even leaving NATO—over Greenland, transatlantic relationships face one of their most severe tests in decades.
Now, multiple nationally representative surveys conducted on attitudes toward Trump’s Greenland ambitions show how the American public views them.
An Economist/YouGov poll conducted January 9-12 found that 8 percent of Americans supported using military force to take control of Greenland, while 68 percent opposed such action.
The poll, with a sample of 1,602 U.S. adults and a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percent, used a weighted web-based methodology to be representative of American demographics and voting patterns.
Among Republicans, 18 percent expressed support for taking Greenland by force, with 45 percent opposing and 37 percent unsure.
Among Trump voters, 17 percent were in favor versus 51 percent opposed.
In the same YouGov poll, 13 percent overall supported the U.S. paying Greenland residents to join the United States, 64 percent opposed, and 24 percent were not sure.
Among 2024 voters, Trump voters were split: 30 percent supported the measure, 41 percent opposed, and 29 percent were not sure. Harris voters, meanwhile, overwhelmingly rejected it—with 2 percent supporting, 91 percent opposing and 7 percent not sure.
Similarly, a Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted nationally online among 1,217 U.S. adults in mid-January with a margin of error of 3 percentage points, found 17 percent of Americans approved of Trump’s efforts to acquire Greenland—whether through negotiation or force.
Overall disapproval of U.S. efforts to acquire Greenland stood at 47 percent, with 35 percent unsure.
Notably, only 4 percent of Americans—including 10 percent of Republicans and almost no Democrats—believed it would be a good idea to use military force to take Greenland, while 71 percent called it a bad idea.
About one in five survey respondents had not heard of the plan.
The context surrounding these numbers has grown more urgent. Trump has repeatedly linked control of Greenland to U.S. national security interests, citing the need for access to strategic Arctic positions and rare earth minerals, and he has proposed a “Golden Dome” missile defense system.
Trump has highlighted concerns about Russia’s and China’s influence, arguing, “If we don’t do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and we’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor.”
Tensions have prompted an increase in European military deployments to Greenland. Germany sent a reconnaissance team to support Denmark and NATO allies, while Denmark, Sweden and Norway also boosted their military presence.
Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, maintains that foreign policy and defense remain under Copenhagen’s authority.
Both the Greenlandic and Danish governments have firmly rejected any notion of transfer or annexation by the United States, warning it would endanger NATO’s future.
What People Are Saying
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters in the White House on Wednesday: “Greenland is very important for national security, including of Denmark. And the problem is, there’s not a thing Denmark can do about it if Russia or China wants to occupy Greenland.”
Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt said at a joint news conference on January 14: “It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering Greenland. And we made it very, very clear that this is not in the interest of the kingdom.”
Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen told a news conference on Tuesday: “If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark. We choose NATO. We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the EU.”
What Happens Next
European NATO allies have increased their military footprint in the Arctic as tensions over Greenland escalate, driving broader debates about security and sovereignty in the region.
While Washington has held high‑level talks with Danish and Greenlandic officials to address U.S. strategic concerns, leaders in Copenhagen and Nuuk continue to stress that their sovereignty must be respected.
On Capitol Hill, lawmakers from both parties are pushing measures to curb any attempt by the administration to annex the territory without the consent of U.S. allies.
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it’s not “both sides,” it’s sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
Read the full article here
