Americans Express Deep Concern Over U.S. Entanglement in Venezuela Following Maduro Capture

By Alex Smith
Monday, 05 January 2026 07:09 PM EST

Nearly three-quarters of Americans fear the United States will become too deeply involved in Venezuela following the military operation that captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and brought them to Manhattan to face federal drug charges, according to a recent survey released Monday.

Only about one-third of respondents approved of the action, with Americans split along ideological lines over support for the military intervention. The nationwide online poll of 1,248 adults, conducted Sunday and Monday, found that approximately 33% of Americans approved of the military strike ordered by President Donald Trump, while 72% expressed worry that U.S. involvement in Venezuelan affairs would deepen beyond acceptable levels. The survey had a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.

The poll revealed a stark partisan divide over foreign policy. Among Republicans, 65% approved of the operation compared with just 11% of Democrats and 23% of independents. About 60% of Republican respondents supported deploying U.S. troops to Venezuela—a figure significantly higher than the roughly 30% overall support among all Americans.

The survey also gauged broader views on U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere, with about 43% of Republicans backing a policy of “dominating affairs” in the region—far exceeding support among other voter groups. Despite this alignment, even within Republican respondents, more than half raised concerns about financial costs and risks to military personnel associated with sustained involvement in Venezuela.

Other recent polls indicate widespread public skepticism toward expanded military action. A Washington Post text message poll found that while roughly 40% of Americans approved of the U.S. capture of Maduro, an almost equal proportion disapproved, and a majority stated any such operation should have required congressional approval.

The divisions over Venezuela reflect broader unease about U.S. engagement in foreign conflicts. Earlier surveys, including a Quinnipiac University poll released December 17, showed that 63% of Americans opposed U.S. military action inside Venezuela as tensions escalated under the Trump administration. The recent survey also reported Trump’s approval rating at 42%, his highest since October and up from 39% in December.