Trump indictment: 4 findings from polls on Americans' views on fmr. president's arrest, election chances
1. Americans approve of the indictment even as they think it is politically motivated
A poll of 1,048 U.S. adults conducted by CNN from March 31–April 1 revealed that 60% of Americans approve of the decision to indict Trump, with 37% strongly approving and 23% somewhat approving. Twenty-five percent of respondents strongly disapprove of the indictment and 15% somewhat disapprove.
When asked what they thought of “Trump’s actions regarding payments to Stormy Daniels,” a plurality responded that they viewed them as illegal (37%). An additional 33% described the payments as “unethical, not illegal” while just 10% insisted that they were “not wrong at all.” The remaining 20% said they were “not sure.”
While some Americans support the indictment, they also believe that politics played a role in the grand jury’s decision. Overall, 76% of those surveyed think politics played a role in the indictment, with 52% identifying political considerations as having a “major role” in the development and 23% suggesting that they played a “minor role.” The remaining 14% maintained that politics had “no role at all” in the indictment.
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Voters were divided on the effect of Trump’s indictment on American democracy. An equal share of Americans (31%) believed that it “strengthens U.S. democracy” and “weakens U.S. democracy,” with an additional 23% contending that the indictment “has no effect on U.S. democracy.”
Broken down by partisan affiliation, overwhelming majorities of Democrats (94%) and liberals (93%) supported Trump’s indictment, along with substantial majorities of self-described moderates (67%) and independents (62%). Majorities of Republicans (79%) and conservatives (73%) disapproved.
Additionally, majorities of Democrats (69%) and liberals (67%) believe that Trump’s actions related to Daniels were illegal as do a plurality of moderates (37%). A plurality of independents (35%) and conservatives (47%) believe that the actions related to Daniels were “unethical, not illegal” while half of Republicans (50%) said the same.
Majorities of all political subgroups think that politics played a role in the indictment. Nearly all Republicans (93%) and conservatives (92%) contend that politics had a hand in Trump’s indictment as did smaller majorities of independents (76%), moderates (73%), liberals (60%) and Democrats (60%).
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
