Gone too far? What Americans think of US op in Venezuela – most want ‘less-active’ role in world affairs

More than half of Americans believe President Donald Trump has “gone too far” in using the US military to intervene in other countries, with growing unease over Washington’s recent operation in Venezuela, according to a new opinion poll.

The survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, conducted between January 8 and 11, found that 56 per cent of US adults think Trump has overstepped when it comes to military interventions abroad. The poll was carried out after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured in a US operation Absolute Resolve.




The majority of respondents also disapprove of how Trump is handling foreign policy overall and the situation in Venezuela specifically. About 57 per cent said they disapprove of his handling of Venezuela, while 61 per cent expressed dissatisfaction with his broader foreign policy approach, figures broadly in line with his overall job approval during his second term.

The findings run counter to Trump’s recent assertive foreign policy posture, which has included the use of US military power in Venezuela, public comments about taking control of Greenland if Denmark resists, and warnings that the US would come to the “rescue” of peaceful protesters in Iran.

Views on the Venezuela intervention, however, are mixed. Around half of Americans believe US action will be “mostly a good thing” for curbing the flow of illegal drugs into the country, according to the AP-NORC poll.

About 44 per cent feel it will benefit the Venezuelan people, who lived under Maduro’s rule for more than a decade. Opinions are more divided on whether the operation will help US national security or the American economy.

Political divisions are stark. About nine in ten Democrats and roughly six in ten independents say Trump has “gone too far” on military intervention, compared with about two in ten Republicans. Among Republicans, 71 per cent say the president’s actions have been “about right,” though only about one in ten want him to go further.

The poll also points to broader fatigue with overseas engagement. Nearly half of Americans want the US to take a “less active” role in world affairs, while about one-third believe its current level of involvement is appropriate. Only around two in ten favour a more active global role.

Support for stepping back is strongest among Democrats and independents, at least half of whom now want reduced US involvement abroad – a notable shift from a few months ago.

Republicans, by contrast, have increasingly rallied behind Trump’s approach, with 64 per cent saying the country’s current global role is “about right,” up from 55 per cnet in September, AP-NORC said.

The results suggest that while some Americans see limited benefits in the Venezuela operation, a majority remain wary of deeper US military engagement overseas and prefer Washington to focus less on foreign interventions.