According to a survey by public opinion pollster Research Co., released Monday January 19, 2026, few Americans share Trump’s expansionist aspirations.
Two thirds of Americans (66%) want Canada to remain an independent nation, while 10% would “prefer” Canada become a US territory and 7% would declare it the 51st State.
The results are similar when Americans ponder Mexico, with just over two thirds (67%) maintaining the status quo of Mexico as an independent nation and fewer opting for the country to become a US territory (10%) or an American state (5%).
More than half of Americans (57%) would like to see Cuba remain as an independent nation, while 18% want the island to become a US territory and 4% would prefer to see it as an American state.
When Americans ponder the future of Panama, more than half (54%) think the Central American nation should be independent, while fewer consider making it a US territory (17%) or an American state (7%).
More than half of Americans (56%) believe Greenland—an autonomous territory of Denmark—should retain this status in the future. Fewer than one-in-five (16%) wish to make Greenland a US territory, while just one-in-fourteen (7%) would welcome it as an American state.
Sources:
Research Co.: Few Americans Share Trump’s Expansionist Aspirations https://researchco.ca/2026/01/19/usa-expansion/