Annex CANADA?! Trump's Wild Expansion Idea FLOPS With US Voters in New Poll

Despite renewed interest from President Donald Trump and associated White House activity, the American public shows little appetite for expanding U.S. borders northward by annexing either Canada or Greenland. A new Yahoo News/YouGov poll released Tuesday reveals that fewer than one in five U.S. adults support making Canada the 51st state or bringing the strategically important, semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland under American control. These findings surface amidst diplomatic friction over Greenland, highlighted by an upcoming visit from Vice President J.D. Vance perceived by local officials as part of an aggressive U.S. pressure campaign.

Low Public Support for Annexation

The poll clearly indicates that territorial expansion is not a popular idea among Americans. Specifically:

• Canada: Only 17% favor Canada becoming the 51st state, an idea President Trump has floated multiple times since his 2024 election victory. A clear majority, 57%, oppose the notion, while 26% remain unsure.

• Greenland: Support for annexing Greenland is similarly low at 19%. Opposition stands at 49%, with a significant portion, 32%, uncertain about the prospect

  
  

These figures suggest a disconnect between the administration's apparent focus on these potentially radical foreign policy shifts and the priorities or desires of the general U.S. populace.

Greenland: Renewed Focus on a Strategic Asset

Trump's interest in Greenland is not new; he notoriously inquired about purchasing the vast, mineral-rich Arctic island during his first term, drawing dismissive responses from Danish and Greenlandic leadership (Source 1: Historical news reports, e.g., The Wall Street Journal, BBC, 2019).

His renewed talk, coupled with the Vances' visit, has reignited sensitivities. Greenland holds significant geostrategic importance due to its location bridging the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, its potential wealth in rare earth minerals crucial for modern technology, and its role in climate change research and potential future Arctic shipping routes (Source 2: Arctic policy analysis, e.g., Council on Foreign Relations, Wilson Center).

The U.S. has maintained a military presence at Thule Air Base (now Pituffik Space Base) for decades, underlining its long-standing strategic interest, separate from outright purchase or annexation (Source 3: Defense/Historical records).

The decision for Vice President Vance to join Second Lady Usha Vance on the trip this Friday was framed playfully by the VP ("I didn’t want her to have all that fun by herself"), but comes after pointed criticism from Greenland's Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede, who labeled the broader context a "very aggressive" pressure campaign. This Danish and Greenlandic pushback underscores the complex diplomatic reality and the principle of self-determination, complicating any notions of a simple transaction or takeover.

Canada: A Complex Neighborly Relationship

The idea of annexing Canada, while floated by Trump, appears even less grounded in political or popular reality. Despite extremely close economic ties, shared cultural values, and the world's longest undefended border, the concept runs counter to centuries of separate national identity and sovereignty.

Any serious move towards annexation would undoubtedly face overwhelming opposition within Canada and internationally (Source 4: Canadian political analysis/Public opinion). The high percentage of Americans opposing or unsure about annexing Canada likely reflects an understanding, implicit or explicit, of the deep-rooted neighborly, yet distinct, relationship, governed by numerous treaties and mutual respect for sovereignty, making forced annexation unthinkable under international law.

Public Perception of Presidential Priorities

The poll also touched upon whether Americans believe Trump is focusing on the right issues early in his second term. The results were divided: 43% felt he was tackling the country's "most important problems," while a slightly larger group, 45%, thought he was focused on less important matters. Twelve percent were unsure. This split suggests that while Trump retains significant support, a considerable portion of the public may view headline-grabbing ideas like annexing neighbors as distractions from more pressing domestic concerns like the economy, healthcare, or immigration, aligning with the low support for these specific expansionist ideas.

While the Trump administration may be exploring bold, potentially disruptive foreign policy maneuvers concerning Greenland and Canada, public opinion, as measured by the Yahoo News/YouGov poll, shows little enthusiasm for territorial expansion.

The low support figures, coupled with the strong opposition from the nations involved and the principles of international law governing sovereignty, highlight the significant hurdles—both domestic and international—facing any such ambitions. The ongoing diplomatic tensions surrounding the Vances' Greenland visit further illustrate the complexities involved when strategic interests clash with national autonomy and local sensitivities. Whether these ideas represent serious policy goals or political posturing remains unclear, but for now, most Americans seem unconvinced.

(The poll surveyed 1,677 U.S. adults between March 20-24 with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percent.)

• Question: Has President Trump been focused on the country's "most important problems" or issues "that aren’t very important"?

  • Focused on most important problems: 43%

  • Focused on issues that aren't very important: 45%

  • Not sure: 12%

Conceptual Sources Used for Expansion:

1. Historical News Archives (2019): Referencing reports from major outlets (WSJ, BBC, NYT etc.) covering Trump's initial interest in purchasing Greenland and the Danish/Greenlandic reaction.

2. Geopolitical/Arctic Policy Analysis: Drawing on information commonly found in reports from think tanks (e.g., CFR, Wilson Center, CSIS) or academic sources regarding Greenland's strategic location, resource potential (rare earths), and climate change implications for the Arctic.

3. Defense and Historical Records/Analysis: Referencing the existence and strategic importance of the U.S. military presence (Thule/Pituffik) in Greenland over decades.

4. Canadian Politics/International Relations Principles: Incorporating the widely understood reality of Canadian sovereignty, strong national identity, and the principles of international law opposing unilateral annexation, often discussed in political science or Canadian news commentary.