New Poll Asks Americans Whether Trump Should Face Charges Top Midterm Priorities
About half of Americans think former President Donald Trump should face criminal charges for his role in the deadly insurrection that took place at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the latest PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll. But far fewer roughly a quarter think Trump will actually be prosecuted.
Since hearings by the House committee investigating the attack began in June, new evidence and testimony have revealed how much Trump and members of his administration knew about the potential for violence, as well as the former presidents embrace of his armed supporters and his unwillingness to intervene when chaos overwhelmed the Capitol.
While a majority of Americans overall blame Trump for what happened that day, public opinion remains divided down party lines, according to this last poll. Nearly all Democrats 92 percent and a majority of independents but only about one in five Republicans agree.
Chart by Megan McGrew/PBS NewsHour
The final scheduled Jan. 6 hearing is slated to start Thursday at 8 p.m. ET and is expected to offer a minute-by-minute account of what Trump did and didnt do as the Capitol was overrun. In September, the committee is scheduled to release a report of its findings.
Meanwhile, federal prosecutors responsible for charging suspects related to the attack have also been watching the hearings. Unlike Congress, We do not do our investigations in public, Attorney General Merrick Garland said at the Justice Department Wednesday.
Two Different Paths To 41%
President Biden and former president Trump dont have a lot in common. But, they share the inauspicious distinction of having the lowest approval ratings in modern history for a president 500 days into his first term. The fivethirtyeight.com tracker has Bidens net approval rating at a dismal -13.3, two points lower than Trumps -11 in June of 2018.
But, the paths they took to these dismal ratings are very different.
Trump began his presidency with little support from independents and some skepticism among his own base. By the 2018 midterm election, Trump had consolidated his base, but remained deeply unpopular with independent voters. Meanwhile, Biden started his tenure with strong support from his partisans and decent approval ratings among independent voters. But, Biden lost altitude with both in the late summer/early fall of last year and has yet to regain that support.
The question now is whether the different routes their subpar approval ratings can tell us anything about the likely outcome of the November midterm.
However, opinions of Trump among independents started low and remained low throughout Trumps first two years in office. Gallup polling from the spring of 2017 found Trumps job approval ratings among independents at an anemic 36 percent. By the summer of 2018 they stayed in that same range . By October, just 38 percent of independents approved of the job Trump was doing in office.
Donald Trump’s Approval Ratings Flounders Amid Jan 6 Revelations
Donald Trump has faced a dip in his popularity according to a Fox News poll taken after the first January 6 hearing.
The opinion poll was conducted between June 10 and June 13, according to a Fox News report. This is days after the first January 6 hearing that was held on June 9.
The poll, which also highlighted that President Joe Biden has seen his popularity fall, showed the fluctuation in the former president’s popularity.
According to the poll, 55 percent of registered voters asked have an unfavorable opinion of Trump, compared to 44 percent holding a favorable opinion.
The poll also highlighted data taken from previous polls of the former president.
In February, 54 percent of registered voters held an unfavorable opinion of Trump, this is compared to 45 percent favorable. In December 2021, Trump received the same percentage of favorable and unfavorable votes.
According to the poll, the last time Trump held such a small favorable opinion vote of 44 percent was in late October 2020. In this poll, 55 percent of participants held an unfavorable opinion of him.
In June 2018, 45 percent of Fox News poll participants held a favorable opinion of Trump while 53 percent held an unfavorable opinion.
Newsweek has contacted Donald Trump‘s office for comment.
The first January 6 hearing, which was televised during prime time, was able to focus on Trump and his role, if any, in the January 6 Capitol riot.
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Ratings For Us Mostly Favorable Though Low Among Some Key Allies
While overall attitudes toward the United States are favorable, there are large differences across the 33 nations in the study, especially among some of its key European Union allies. It receives its most positive reviews in the region from three Central and Eastern European nations: 79% of Poles, 70% of Lithuanians and 66% of Hungarians have a favorable opinion of the U.S.
Meanwhile, Europeâs lowest ratings for the U.S. are in the Netherlands , Sweden and Germany . Outside of the EU, ratings for the U.S. are much more positive in Ukraine than in Russia .
As has been the case over time in Pew Research Center surveys, most in the sub-Saharan African nations polled express favorable opinions of the U.S. Views in Asia are also mostly positive, though 45% in U.S. ally Australia currently give the U.S. an unfavorable rating.
Israelis give the U.S. its highest rating on the survey . But while 94% of Israeli Jews see the U.S. positively, just 37% of Israeli Arabs agree. Elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa, attitudes are more negative. This is especially the case in Turkey, where just one-in-five have a favorable opinion of the U.S., the lowest percentage registered in the survey.
Views of the U.S. are mostly negative in Mexico, where just 36% give the U.S. a favorable rating, only 8% have confidence in Trump and fully 90% oppose the building of a wall on their countryâs border with the U.S.
Bidens Personal Traits Viewed Less Positively Than Last Fall
Public perceptions of Bidens personal traits have turned more negative over the course of his presidency, largely paralleling the decline in his approval ratings, with some exceptions.
While a majority of Americans say stands up for what he believes in describes Biden very or fairly well, public assessments of whether Biden is honest and cares about the needs of ordinary people are more divided. About half say honest describes Biden at least fairly well, while a similar share say it does not. Similarly, about half characterize him as caring about the needs of ordinary people, while roughly as many say this is not a good descriptor.
The publics evaluation is more negative on other measures: About two-thirds say inspiring does not describe Biden well, while nearly as many say the same for mentally sharp. And although 44% say a good role model describes Biden at least fairly well, a larger share say this does not describe the president well.
While Bidens ratings on each of these traits have declined substantially over the course of his presidency, the sharpest decline is seen in views of Bidens mental sharpness and this shift is particularly pronounced among Democrats.
The trajectory of opinion follows a similar, if less stark, pattern for the other traits asked about in the survey.
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How Do Americans View Bidens Handling Of The Pandemic And The Economy
Most Americans think Biden is handling the coronavirus pandemic far better than Trump. Sixty-two percent approve of how Biden has managed the U.S. response so far. Another 30 percent say they disapprove.
Chart by Megan McGrew/PBS NewsHour
The publics approval of Bidens actions far exceeds that earned by Trumps leadership during the pandemic. His highest approval rating was 18 points lower, at 44 percent in March 2020, the same month the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic and Trump labeled it a public health emergency. From there, his approval on handling the pandemic dropped as low as 37 percent, recovering slightly to 39 percent by the time he left office in January.
But Americans have less faith in Bidens ability to heal the nations wounded economy compared to Trump. While 46 percent of U.S. adults approve of how Biden has managed the economy, another 41 percent do not approve. During Trumps last days in office, half of Americans said they approved of the former presidents handling of the economy, a sentiment thatTrump leveraged throughout his presidency and in his 2020 campaign for a second term.
Keanu Adams, 25, of Vacaville, California, said he voted for Biden and hopes the president recognizes the country needs more than public health and economic fixes right now.
The nation needs to uproot systemic problems to address what is really wrong, Adams said.
Trump Viewed Favorably By More In Iowa Gop Than Chuck Grassley
Trump has always been a polarizing figure in the state the percentage of all Iowans who viewed him favorably topped 50% only once before in polls dating to January 2018. That was in March 2020, just as the coronavirus pandemic began to surge in the U.S.
But he has maintained popularity among Iowa Republicans throughout his time in office, and the vast majority continue to view him favorably.
According to the Registers Iowa Poll, 91% of Iowa Republicans have a favorable view of him and just 7% view him unfavorably. Another 2% are not sure.
Those marks put Trump in league with Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is viewed favorably by 90% of Iowa Republicans. And it surpasses Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is viewed favorably by 81% of Iowans.
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I did not foresee the day when Donald Trump would be 10 points more popular with Iowa Republicans than the venerable Chuck Grassley, said pollster J. Ann Selzer, president of Selzer & Co.
That Republican goodwill contrasts with Democrats feelings for Trump, 99% of whom view him unfavorably. Just 1% view him favorably.
Independent Iowans are nearly evenly split, with 48% viewing him favorably and 49% viewing him unfavorably. Another 3% are unsure.
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When Will Joe Biden Be Sworn In
President=elect Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States .
Donald Trump is planning to leave the White House early and says he wont be attending the ceremony the first president in over 100 years not to hand the job to their successor in person.
Celebs including Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga are expected to perform at the Inauguration, where security will be higher than ever following the storming of the Capitol on January 6.
You can watch the inauguration on most major American news networks, including CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS News and Fox News.
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Poll of the week: A new Quinnipiac University poll finds that President Donald Trumps approval rating stands at 34%, while his disapproval is at 61%. The same pollster put Trump at a 33% approve to 60% disapprove split last week.
Whats the point: Before we bid adieu: This story has been updated with more poll numbers released in Trumps final days as president.
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More Negative Ratings For Trump Than For Other World Leaders
German Chancellor Angela Merkel receives the highest marks among the five leaders tested on the poll: A median of 46% express confidence in her leadership of world affairs, while 29% say they do not have confidence in the long-serving German leader. Views of Merkel vary widely within Europe. While roughly seven-in-ten or more have confidence in her in Sweden, the Netherlands, France, the UK, Germany and Spain, only 28% of Hungarians, 25% of Czechs and 22% of Greeks say the same.
Relatively few express confidence in Russian President Putin or Chinese President Xi. And U.S. President Trump receives more negative ratings than either the Russian or Chinese leader.
Donald Trump Has Become More Popular Since The January 6 Capitol Attack
Analysis by Harry Enten, CNN
Former President Donald Trump still manages to dominate the political headlines, nearly a year and half after leaving office. On Thursday, the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol used its first prime-time hearing to make the case that Trump used his power to try and overturn the 2020 election result.
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Who Is Following The Jan 6 Hearings
The hearings are unlikely to be a factor in shaping Republican views because most say they are paying little to no attention to the investigation. According to this latest poll, 58 percent of Americans said they were paying at least some attention to the hearings, while another 41 percent said they were paying little to no attention, including 56 percent of Republicans. Democrats are the most reliable audience for the Jan. 6 hearings, with 80 percent following along.
Its almost an article of faith for a Republican to say, Im not paying attention to this stuff, Ayres said.
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No matter how earth-shattering these hearings are, there is also little to suggest they will inform the way people vote during the November midterms. In fact, only 9 percent of U.S. adults said it will be top of mind for them this fall, including 17 percent of Democrats and 2 percent of Republicans. A far larger share of Americans 37 percent said they care most about inflation, including 57 percent of Republicans and 42 percent of independents.
For Democrats, abortion ranked as the top concern. Following the Supreme Courts overturning of Roe v. Wade and the loss of federal protections for the medical procedure in June, 29 percent of Democrats and 18 percent of Americans overall picked abortion as what matters most to them.
Chart by Megan McGrew/PBS NewsHour
Trump Does Especially Well With Vaccine
The poll results show Trump does especially well among people who have not been vaccinated and do not intend to be vaccinated, Selzer said.
He is viewed favorably by 86% of Iowans who say they are not vaccinated and do not plan to become vaccinated.
Thats on par with Reynolds, who also is viewed favorably by 86% of vaccine-resistant Iowans. But far fewer vaccine-resistant Iowans view the states two Republican senators favorably. Sixty percent of those who are not vaccinated and do not plan to become vaccinated view Grassley favorably, and 67% view U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst favorably.
Trump has been vaccinated, but he did so in private and he said in a September interview with the Wall Street Journal that he is unlikely to get the booster shot authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for those 65 and older and for people with weakened immune systems.
He has publicly touted the aggressive timeline during which the vaccines were developed while he was in office. But at an August rally in Alabama, he was briefly booed for urging his supporters to get the shot.
You got to do what you have to do, but I recommend: Take the vaccines, he said at the rally. I did it its good.
Reynolds, Grassley and Ernst all have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and have publicly recommended that others do the same. But they and Trump have all drawn a firm line when it comes to any kind of vaccine mandate.
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The Sample And Margin Of Error
Pollsters cant realistically contact every American adult throughout the country and ask their opinion on a given issue. Instead, they try to contact a representative sampleusually anywhere between 1,000 and 2,000 individualsthat accurately represents the countrys population as a whole. Pollsters, with the help of statisticians, demographers, and data experts, use a variety of techniques to create a representative sample. This typically involves using probability formulas and algorithms to ensure random sampling and to increase the likelihood of contacting an accurate cross-section of the U.S. adult population. Some pollsters also create panels of respondents that they believe reflect the actual population and poll them repeatedly over a span of time. These polls are usually called tracking polls. Oftentimes, pollsters weigh their respondents to account for various demographic measurements. For example, a pollster might weigh more heavily the responses from a specific demographic group if that group was poorly represented in the random sample in relation to the countrys estimated demographic composition. The same might be done if a group appears to be overrepresented.
Joe Bidens Approval Rating Sinks Below Donald Trumps
President Joe Bidens latest approval rating for May 2022 is lower than former President Donald Trumps rating for May 2018, showing that the latter was more highly regarded by the public at the same points in their presidencies.
Comparing May 20, 2018, to May 20, 2022, Trumps lead over Biden was not by much, according to the data shared by FiveThirtyEight. Biden scored an approval rating of 40.7 percent, while Trump scored 42.4 percent, a lead of less than 2 percentage points.
The FiveThirtyEight data considers several different polls and takes into account the quality, recency, sample size and partisan tendencies of each one.
In recent months, the Biden administration has been plagued by criticisms over issues like rising inflation, border policies and a nationwide baby formula shortage that is leaving many American families in fear or despair. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Research released Friday showed that Bidens approval rating dipped to 39 percent, the lowest of his presidency, signaling trouble for the Democratic Party ahead of the coming midterm elections.
Despite the negative implications for his approval on Friday, Biden touted what he said were record-low state unemployment rates. He said in a statement that combatting inflation is his top priority, but also pointed to job creation as an indicator of economic recovery.
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