Trump's Greenland Push Divides GOP, New Poll Shows

About half of Republicans disapprove of his attempt to acquire the icebound territory, a new AP-NORC survey finds.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A new AP-NORC poll finds that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults disapprove of how President Trump is handling the issue of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. Even Republicans are split, with about half disapproving of his attempt to turn the icebound landmass into American territory, which Trump has insisted is critical for national security in the Arctic.

Why it matters

Trump's push to acquire Greenland has created a rare political weak spot for the president, whose base is normally unwavering in its support. The issue has strained relationships with key U.S. allies and raised questions about Trump's approach to foreign policy.

The details

The poll was conducted Feb. 5-8, after Trump had made the decision to scrap tariffs designed to pressure European countries into supporting U.S. control of Greenland, but after his weekslong push for American intervention over the island. Trump has argued that the U.S. needs Greenland to counter threats from Russia and China in the Arctic region, despite America already having a military presence there.

  • The poll was conducted Feb. 5-8, 2026.
  • Trump dropped his threats to seize Greenland by force in late January 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The 45th President of the United States who pushed for the U.S. to acquire the territory of Greenland.

Mark Rutte

The NATO Secretary-General who helped reach a framework for a deal over access to Greenland.

Ayman Amir

A 46-year-old Trump supporter from Houston, Texas who agrees Greenland is strategically important but doesn't think the U.S. should claim it by force.

Aaron Gunnoe

A 29-year-old independent voter and engineer from Marion, Ohio who was baffled by Trump's aggressive posture on the NATO ally.

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What they’re saying

“We can't take it by force. We don't have a right to do that. You can't blame Russia for what they do in Ukraine and then do the same thing. You can't do this.”

— Ayman Amir, Trump supporter

“It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. It's owned by somebody else. That should be the end of it.”

— Aaron Gunnoe, Independent voter

What’s next

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The takeaway

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