Trump's Greenland Push Divides Republicans, Poll Finds

AP-NORC survey shows Trump's bid to acquire Greenland has turned off many in his own party.

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 Donald Trump is handling the issue of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. Even Republicans are split, with about half disapproving of Trump's attempt to turn the icebound landmass into American territory.

Why it matters

Trump's push to acquire Greenland has created a political weak spot for the administration, as it has turned off many in his own party. Normally unwavering in their support, Republicans are divided on the issue, with younger GOP voters especially likely to disapprove of Trump's approach.

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 weeks-long 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.

Ayman Amir

A 46-year-old Trump supporter from Houston, Texas.

Aaron Gunnoe

A 29-year-old independent voter and engineer from Marion, Ohio.

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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

The president dropped his threats to seize Greenland by force late last month after saying a framework for a deal over access to Greenland was reached with help from NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

The takeaway

Trump's push to acquire Greenland has created a political weak spot, as it has turned off many in his own party. Normally unwavering in their support, Republicans are divided on the issue, with younger GOP voters especially likely to disapprove of Trump's approach.