Most Americans incorrectly believe Saudi Arabia is their top foreign oil supplier, while expressing a strong preference for Canadian oil imports, according to a new GZERO/Abacus Data survey of 1,500 US eligible voters.
The survey, conducted January 23-24, found 53% of Americans think Saudi Arabia provides most of their foreign oil, while only 22% correctly identified Canada as their largest supplier.
When asked about preferred sources of foreign oil, 52% chose Canada as their top choice, far ahead of Saudi Arabia at 19%. This preference for Canadian oil was consistent across political lines, with 58% of Harris voters and 51% of Trump voters favoring Canada.
Despite this preference, broader attitudes toward trade are more complex. The survey revealed 56% of Americans believe Canada benefits “way more” from bilateral trade, even though 84% agree that free trade between the two countries makes both better off.
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On defense matters, 48% believe Canada does not pay its fair share in defending North America, with this view more prevalent among Trump voters at 62%. More than half of Trump supporters (54%) consider Canada’s military “pretty much non-existent,” compared to 36% of Harris voters.
The survey found widespread goodwill toward Canada, which earned a net positive impression score of +61. An overwhelming majority (86%) view Canada as an ally, with 54% describing the US-Canada relationship as that of “best friends” or “close friends.”
The survey showed 65% of Americans believe the US produces enough oil domestically to meet all its needs, with this view particularly strong among Trump voters at 75%.
Border state residents expressed heightened concern about potential trade measures, with 44% worried about negative effects on bilateral relations. Nearly half of all Americans (47%) fear Canadian retaliatory measures would harm them personally, with this concern more pronounced in border states.
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