As Donald Trump prepares to become the first former president to become criminally charged, recent polling indicates that more Americans believe he should be charged than shouldn’t.
In one poll, released by ABC News and Ipsos, 45% said he should be indicted in the New York District Attorney’s case compared to 32% who say he shouldn’t. Twenty-three percent are unsure.
Although it’s unknown what charges Trump faces, 50% believe the charges will be serious. Thirty-six percent say the charges are not serious. A plurality in the ABC/Ipsos poll believes the charges are politically motivated.
The same poll found more support for charging Trump in other cases. The poll indicated that 49% think Trump should be charged relating to his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. The poll also noted that 51% say he should be charged for his efforts to change the results of the 2020 presidential election.
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In a separate poll released Monday by CNN and SSRS, 60% approve of indicting Trump in Manhattan, compared to 40% who disapprove. A majority also believe politics played a major role in his indictment.
Although many of those polled by SSRS say Trump should be indicted, only 37% believe what he did was illegal. Thirty-three percent say what he did was unethical, but not illegal.
Manhattan Attorney General Alvin Bragg’s office has been investigating payments made by Trump and his former confidant Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels. It was revealed that Daniels received a payment from Trump through Cohen to remain quiet about their relationship in the leadup to the 2016 election.
Trump is expected to depart Florida Monday in preparation to turn himself in to authorities on Tuesday. Because the indictment remains sealed, it’s unknown exactly what Trump will be charged with.