Republicans are divided on whether to use the military to take over Cuba and the Panama Canal

Only 17% of Americans support the U.S. using military force to take control of Cuba, according to the latest Economist / YouGov Poll, fielded as the U.S. ramps up pressure on the Caribbean nation. 58% of Americans oppose seizing Cuba by force. Opposition to taking control of Cuba by force is widespread among Democrats (6% support and 79% oppose) and Independents (12% vs. 66%), while Republicans are divided (33% vs. 30%).

Majorities of Americans also oppose using military force to take over three other places the poll asked about: Canada (8% support and 78% oppose), Greenland (9% vs. 71%), and the Panama Canal (19% vs. 58%). Few Republicans support seizing Canada (12% vs. 68%) or Greenland (16% vs. 51%), but many support taking control of the Panama Canal by force (38% vs. 29%).

In general, only 26% of Americans say it's ever justified for one country to invade another, while 54% say it isn't. Most Democrats say invasions aren't ever justified (15% say they are and 69% say they aren't), as do about half of Independents (26% vs. 53%). Republicans are closely divided (38% vs. 40%), but Republicans who are MAGA supporters have very different views than non-MAGA supporters. More MAGA Republicans say invasions can be justified than say they aren't (44% vs. 33%), but non-MAGA Republicans are far more likely to say they can't (29% vs. 52%, similar to the views of Independents).

44% of MAGA Republicans support taking control of Cuba by military force and 24% oppose it.

Americans also are twice as likely to say that countries should follow the laws of armed conflict, even if their enemies don't, than to say countries shouldn't always do so (51% vs. 23%). Liberals are much more likely than conservatives to say countries should always follow the laws of war: 71% of very liberal Americans say this, compared to 59% of those who are liberal but not very liberal, 58% of moderates, and 36% of both those who are very conservative and those who are conservative but not very conservative.

Among the 59% of Americans who say people are naturally peaceful, 57% say countries should always follow the laws of war and 21% say they shouldn't. The 18% who say people are naturally violent are closely divided: 39% say countries should always follow the laws of war and 35% say they shouldn't.

The vast majority (80%) of Americans say they would prefer the U.S. to be respected rather than feared, and most of this group says countries should always follow the laws of war (56% say they always should and 20% say they shouldn't). Among the 13% who would prefer the U.S. be feared, 37% say countries should always follow the laws of war and 43% say they shouldn't.

Most Americans say the U.S.'s standing in the world has worsened since the start of Trump's second term (59%, while 25% say it has improved). Almost all Democrats say the U.S.'s world standing has worsened under Trump (3% vs. 90%), as do most Independents (14% vs. 71%). 57% of Republicans say the country's standing in the world has improved under Trump, and 17% say it has worsened. Republicans who are MAGA supporters overwhelmingly say it has improved (80% vs. 3%) and non-MAGA Republicans are more closely divided (32% vs. 38%).

Almost all of the 18% of Americans who strongly approve of Trump's job performance say he has improved the country's world standing (88% vs. 1% who say he hasn't), and nearly all of the 50% of Americans who strongly disapprove of Trump say the country's world standing has worsened during his second term (0% vs. 99%).

Americans whose views of Trump are less strong break down differently. Like those who strongly approve of Trump's job handling, very few of those who somewhat approve (a group that makes up 17% of Americans) say the country's world standing has worsened since Trump took office in 2025 (12%). But only 42% of them say the country's world standing has improved in Trump's second term, compared to 88% of Trump's strong approvers, while 37% of those who somewhat approve of Trump say the country's world standing has stayed about the same.

The 12% of Americans who somewhat disapprove of Trump, like the 50% who strongly disapprove, are most likely to say the country's world standing has worsened under Trump. But only 64% of the somewhat-disapprovers say this, compared to 99% of the strong disapprovers. 9% of those who somewhat disapprove say the country's world standing has improved, and 22% say it has stayed about the same.

Image: Getty (Joe Raedle / Staff)

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