Majority of Americans find Trump’s alleged crimes serious as hush money trial starts

The recent survey of 1,746 American adults conducted from April 11 to 15 has shed light on the shifting perceptions of former President Donald Trump’s alleged crimes. The findings reveal intriguing insights into how the public views the seriousness of the charges brought against him.

According to the survey, there has been a significant increase in the number of Americans who consider various alleged felonies attributed to Trump as serious crimes. For instance, a staggering 73% of respondents now believe that “conspiring to overturn the results of a presidential election” is a serious offense, a notable rise from 66% in December. Similarly, 69% of participants view “taking highly classified documents from the White House and obstructing efforts to retrieve them” as a serious crime, up from 63% in December. Moreover, the same percentage of respondents, 69%, think “attempting to obstruct the certification of a presidential election” should be taken seriously, compared to 64% in December.

Interestingly, the survey indicates that while Americans perceive the hush money charges against Trump as less serious than other allegations, there is still a considerable number (30%) who view the charges as serious. This suggests that Trump’s legal troubles might be becoming more tangible to the public, especially with the onset of his first trial.

Despite the growing acknowledgement of the severity of the crimes linked to Trump, there remains a disparity between those who believe in the gravity of the offenses in a general context and those who think the former president should be convicted in a court of law.

Only 48% of respondents are convinced that Trump falsified business records to conceal a hush money payment to a porn star, a figure consistent with April 2023 statistics. Furthermore, 42% believe Trump violated the law by falsifying these records, marking a slight increase from 41% a year ago. On the question of whether Trump’s actions amount to a crime serious enough to warrant indictment and trial, 37% of respondents agree, down slightly from 38% last year.

As District Attorney Alvin Bragg aims to persuade the jury and the broader public of the validity of the charges against Trump, a significant portion (29%) of Americans remain unsure about whether the former president falsified business records for illicit purposes. The pervasive tribalism in American politics complicates efforts to reach a consensus on the matter, with 44% of respondents attributing Bragg’s indictment to political bias against Trump.

Another noteworthy finding is the prevailing belief among a majority (51%) of Americans that the Trump hush money indictment is unfair due to Bragg’s affiliation with the Democratic Party. This sentiment underscores the deep-seated divisions in the public’s perception of the legal proceedings against Trump.

While the prospect of a conviction in the hush money case looms, there is uncertainty regarding its potential impact on Trump’s political future. Only 33% of Americans and 14% of Republicans anticipate a guilty verdict for the former president, hinting at the shock such an outcome could elicit among voters.

A notable proportion (51%) of respondents believe that Trump should not be allowed to serve as president again if convicted in the hush money case, including 16% of Republicans. Similarly, just 34% of participants think Trump should be permitted to hold office again if found guilty in the Manhattan case.

Looking ahead, the data suggests a growing preference among Americans (57%) for barring Trump from serving as president if convicted of any serious crime, compared to a decline in the number (29%) advocating for his eligibility for office post-conviction. The majority (65%) also express the importance of reaching a verdict in Trump’s trials before the 2024 general election, highlighting the significance attached to the legal proceedings shaping the political landscape.

In conclusion, the survey outcomes reflect the evolving views of Americans on the allegations against Donald Trump, hinting at potential political repercussions and the intricacies of public opinion in the context of legal ramifications for a former president.