Should presidents have immunity from prosecution?

As the Supreme Court deliberates the issue, a majority of Americans believe that Donald Trump should not have immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken during his presidency. The sentiment extends to the general notion that presidents should not be immune from prosecution. However, there is a divide among Republicans, with some advocating for Trump’s immunity.

In a recent CBS News poll, half of the respondents were asked specifically about whether Trump should have immunity, while the other half were asked about immunity for “U.S. presidents” without mentioning Trump. The results showed that most Americans, regardless of political affiliation, oppose immunity for presidents.

Interestingly, older and more conservative individuals tend to support immunity for Trump. This could be due to their ideological view of the presidency or recent news events that may have influenced their opinions. Comparing the responses of Republicans asked about Trump specifically and those asked about presidents generally, it is evident that more Republicans believe Trump should have immunity compared to the broader category of presidents.

According to the survey, two-thirds of Republicans believe Trump should have immunity from prosecution, but the number drops to 45% when asked about immunity for “U.S. presidents” in general. Additionally, over half of Republicans are against granting immunity to presidents in general.

While there were slight shifts in opinions among Democrats and independents, the differences were not as pronounced as those among Republicans. This suggests that the question of presidential immunity is a contentious issue that transcends political party lines.

The CBS News/YouGov survey involved 2,063 U.S. adult residents interviewed between June 5-7, 2024, with an oversample in specific states. The data was weighted based on demographic factors and past voting behavior. The margin of error for the survey results is around ±3.2 points among all adults and ±3.8 points among registered voters.

In conclusion, the debate over presidential immunity is ongoing, with a majority of Americans opposing immunity for both Donald Trump and presidents in general. However, there are distinct differences in opinion among Republicans, highlighting the complex nature of this issue in the political landscape.