How Americans Have Viewed Military Interventions Since WWI

A new YouGov survey reveals deep and widening partisan divides over U.S. military interventions, with Republicans overwhelmingly supporting recent actions in Venezuela and against Iranian nuclear sites while Democrats largely oppose them.

The poll, conducted in early 2026, shows that 70% of Republicans believe the operation to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was the right decision, compared to just 7% of Democrats—a staggering 63-point gap.

A similar split exists over U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, favored by 74% of Republicans versus only 17% of Democrats.

This partisan chasm extends to historical conflicts as well, with Republicans consistently more supportive of interventions like the Iraq War, Afghanistan, and even the Vietnam War than Democrats, while Independents show general skepticism toward most post-Cold War military engagements.

The only areas of broad agreement are World War I and World War II, where majorities across party lines view U.S. involvement as justified, highlighting how contemporary military decisions have become a powerful new front in America’s political polarization.