A new AP-NORC poll measures what voters think about former president Donald Trump and various accusations of wrongdoing – and more than half say he did something illegal when it comes to his handling of classified documents.
In America, guilt or innocence in criminal matters is not a matter of public opinion polls, but rather the decision of a jury in a trial. But when the accused is running for president of the United States, public opinion certainly matters.
A new poll shows that, in at least one area of former President Donald Trump’s criminal exposure, more than half of voters believe the ex-president did something illegal in terms of his handling of classified documents.
In an AP/NORC poll released Thursday, voters were asked what they think about the different things that the former president is accused of. When asked about “the classified documents found at his Florida home” — the subject of Trump’s federal indictment — 53 percent of respondents believe Trump did something illegal, while another 16 percent say that action was “unethical, but not illegal.” Just 13 percent say the former president did “nothing wrong,” while 17 percent “Don’t know enough to say.”
There is a partisan difference, perhaps unsurprisingly, as 84 percent of Democrats say Trump did something illegal and just 23 percent of Republicans say so. But if you add up the Republicans who said Trump did something illegal (23 percent) and “unethical but not illegal” (29 percent) it equals more than half of Republican respondents.
When asked about Trump’s “alleged attempt to interfere in Georgia’s vote count in the 2020 presidential election” — which a grand jury in that state is currently investigating — 50 percent of overall voters say Trump did something illegal, including 84 percent of Democrats.
When asked about Trump’s “role in what happened at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021,” 45 percent of overall respondents say Trump did something illegal, while an additional 21 percent say “unethical but not illegal.” That is the subject of an ongoing federal investigation, by the office of Special Counsel Jack Smith.
And on the subject of “allegations he covered up hush money payments to a woman who said he had an affair with him” — which led to his other criminal indictment, in New York — just 35 percent of overall voters, and just 57 percent of Democrats, say Trump did something illegal.
The survey also found that the majority of Americans have at least heard about Trump’s federal indictment. It also found that just 33 percent of overall respondents have a positive view of Trump, compared to 63 percent who view him unfavorably.
Trump is favored by just 10 percent of Democrats- and only 60 percent of Republicans.
“The favorability decline suggests some Republicans could be growing weary of Trump’s legal drama after he became the first former president in U.S. history to be indicted on federal criminal charges,” the Associated Press said in its write-up of the poll.
The AP also quoted some voters, including one woman who described the charges against Trump in the documents case as “a bunch of hooey.”
“Should he have taken all that stuff home? No. But other presidents have also taken things home,” the woman said, although she noted that she would prefer the GOP nominate Ron DeSantis over Trump.
“He has a better chance of winning the general election. Trump is carrying too much baggage now,” she added.
Another voter, who voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, called the investigations a “witch hunt,” even though “I’ve always disdained the man,” in reference to the former president.
“I believe people are trying to swing opinions on things that are completely irrelevant to how someone governs the country,” that voter said. “We know these are detestable human beings. They’re politicians. That’s a job requirement.”
Expertise and Experience: Stephen Silver is a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive. He is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.
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