WASHINGTON (AP) — There are some signs that President Donald Trump’s supporters want the United States to be embroiled in a foreign conflict before his military action in Venezuela — even though many Republicans have shown early support for his military strike there, according to an Associated Press analysis of recent polls.
A majority of Americans want the U.S. government to focus on domestic issues like health care and high costs rather than foreign policy issues, according to an AP-NORC poll conducted last month. Meanwhile, polls taken shortly after the military crackdown that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro suggest many Americans are not convinced the U.S. should step in to take control of the country.
And despite Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. could play a more expanded role in the Western Hemisphere, Republicans in last fall’s polls overwhelmingly opposed further involvement of the U.S. in other countries’ problems.
There is still room to change public opinion as the Trump administration clarifies its next steps for Venezuela. But it could be a challenging issue for a Republican president, especially given Americans’ desire for the government to address economic issues at home.
Foreign policy and the drug trade were not top priorities for most Americans
Entering the new year, Americans were less likely than in recent years to want the government to focus on foreign policy.
About a quarter of American adults listed foreign policy issues — such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Israel or general engagement abroad — as things they want the government to prioritize in 2026, according to an open-ended AP-NORC question that asked respondents to share five issues they want the government to work on in the coming year. That was down from the previous two years, when nearly a third of Americans considered foreign issues an important focus. Almost no one specifically named Venezuela.
Maduro pleaded not guilty to federal drug-trafficking charges in New York on Monday. Although the Trump administration has focused on the issue of drug trafficking, saying that the drug trafficked from Venezuela to the U.S., it does not register at the top of the list of Americans to focus on. Few Americans cited drug-related issues as a priority, and it was a predominantly Republican issue. About 1 in 10 Republicans mentioned it, compared to no Democrats or independents.
Instead, Americans were more focused on overall domestic issues — including health care, economic concerns and cost of living concerns — as top priorities for government.
Many Americans say the US should not be running Venezuela
Americans are divided — with many still forming opinions — about the U.S. capture of Maduro, according to a poll conducted by The Washington Post and SSRS over the weekend using text messages. About 4 in 10 people approved of US troops being sent to oust Maduro, while about the same proportion opposed. About 2 in 10 were unsure. Republicans overwhelmingly approved of the act, while Democrats overwhelmingly opposed it.
Almost half of Americans, 45%, were against the US taking control of Venezuela and electing a new government for the country. 9 in 10 Americans say the people of Venezuela should decide their country’s future leadership.
In December, a Quinnipiac poll found that 6 in 10 registered voters opposed U.S. military action in Venezuela. Republicans were more divided: About half were in support, while about a third were opposed and 15% had no opinion.
Few Republicans wanted America more involved in world problems
According to a September AP-NORC poll, only 1 in 10 Republicans wanted the U.S. to take a “more active role” in solving the world’s problems. They were far less likely than Americans as a whole, or Democrats and independents, to say America should be more engaged. A majority of Republicans, 55%, said the current U.S. role on global issues is “right.”
This could be a difficult position for a president who ran on a promise to put “America first” and end the country’s involvement in “forever wars.” Seven in 10 voters who support Trump in the 2024 presidential election say they want the U.S. to play a “less active” role in solving the world’s problems, according to a poll of interviews with registered voters in all 50 states.
In December, Americans were largely divided on whether Trump is keeping his “America First” campaign promise, according to a Fox News poll. About half felt he had kept that promise, and an equal share felt he had abandoned him.
But at least in that poll, which was conducted before the military operation to oust Maduro, Trump’s supporters were still largely behind him: 1 in 10 Americans who voted for Trump in 2024 felt he abandoned his “America First” promise, while an overwhelming majority felt he kept it.
