Americans are backing the surprise US assault on Venezuela in only limited numbers, with far more worried about what comes next. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds that about one-third of Americans approve of the military operation that removed President Nicolás Maduro, while 72% fear the US will get drawn too deeply into the country's affairs. The split is sharply partisan. Roughly 65% of Republicans support the strike ordered by President Trump, compared to just 11% of Democrats and 23% of independents.
The raid, carried out before dawn Saturday in Caracas, led to Maduro's capture and transfer to US custody on drug-trafficking charges. It also set off a broader debate over Trump's follow-up declaration that Washington would now "run" Venezuela, a stance at odds with his long-standing criticism of foreign interventions. Among Republicans, the poll suggests an appetite for a more assertive US role in the region. About 43% said the US should pursue a policy of dominating affairs in the Western Hemisphere, and 60% said they would back stationing American troops in Venezuela.
Nearly the same share supported US control over the country's oil fields, echoing Trump's comments that the US needs "total access" to Venezuela's reserves. Yet even within the president's party, support comes with reservations. A majority of Republicans—54%—said they were worried about the US becoming overly entangled, the financial burden, and the risks to American troops. The online survey of 1,248 adults, conducted Sunday and Monday with a margin of error of about 3 points, also pegged Trump's overall job approval at 42%, his highest mark since October, up from 39% in December.
Separately, the Washington Post polled 1,004 Americans over the weekend, finding 40% approved of the US capture of Maduro, with 42% disapproving and a majority saying congressional approval should have been sought in advance. Along partisan lines, 74% of Republicans approved, while 76% of Democrats disapproved. The poll also found 45% of those polled oppose the US running the country and instituting a new government, with 24% in support and 30% unsure—though 47% of Republicans approved. The margin of error in that poll is 3.5 points.
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