Only one-in-fourteen Americans think Canada, Greenland or Panama should become American states.
Vancouver, BC [January 19, 2026] – Majorities of Americans would prefer for four nations to remain independent and do not entertain any major changes to their sovereignty, a new Research Co. poll has found.
The online survey of a representative national sample asked Americans their preference when thinking about four countries and two territories.
Two thirds of Americans (66%) want Canada to remain an independent nation, while 10% would prefer for it to become a U.S. territory and 7% would declare it an American state.
The results are very 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 U.S. territory (10%) or an American state (5%).
Just over half of African Americans (53%) think Mexico should remain an independent country. The proportions are higher among respondents who are White (71%) or Hispanic/Latino (74%).
More than half of Americans (57%) would like to see Cuba remain as an independent nation, while 18% want the island to become a U.S. 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 U.S. 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 U.S. territory, while just one-in-fourteen (7%) would welcome it as an American state.
“More than one-in-four Americans who voted for Donald Trump in 2024 (27%) are in favour of turning Greenland into a U.S. territory,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Only one-in-ten Americans who cast a ballot for Kamala Harris (10%) share this view.”
Perceptions are more nuanced when Americans are asked about Puerto Rico. More than two-in-five respondents (43%) would prefer for the Caribbean island to maintain its current status as a U.S. territory, while 24% would like to see it as an independent nation and 17% would choose to make it an American state.
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from January 13 to January 15, 2026, among 1,002 adults in the United States. The data has been statistically weighted according to U.S. census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca