A recent CNN poll conducted by SSRS found that only 13% of Americans believe that former President Donald Trump is being treated the same as other criminal defendants in his current trial. The poll shows a divided opinion on whether Trump is being treated more harshly or more leniently than others. Additionally, only 44% of Americans express confidence in the jury chosen for Trump’s trial to reach a fair verdict, with 56% more skeptical of a fair outcome. Many view Trump’s behavior during the trial as inappropriate, with a rising share of Americans saying that the charges against him are irrelevant to his fitness for the presidency.
The poll also reveals that a significant number of voters who currently support Trump in the potential 2024 election would continue to support him even if he is convicted of a crime. However, about 24% of Trump’s backers say a conviction might cause them to reconsider their support. The group that may reconsider their support if Trump is convicted represents about 12% of all registered voters, which could impact a close contest in the future. These potential reconsiderers tend to be younger, more diverse, and more likely to be political independents and ideologically moderate.
While a majority of Americans continue to believe that the charges against Trump cast doubt on his fitness for the presidency, views on the relevance of the cases to his suitability for office are shifting. Pluralities believe that charges related to Trump’s role in the January 6th attack on the Capitol and efforts to overturn the 2020 election should disqualify him from the presidency. However, there is a growing share saying that certain charges, such as those related to the effort to overturn the election, are irrelevant to his fitness for office.
Views on the trial and its potential outcome align along party lines, with most Democrats believing Trump is being treated leniently by the criminal justice system, while most Republicans believe he is being treated harshly. Lack of confidence in the selected jury to reach a fair verdict is prevalent among both Republicans and Democrats. A majority of Democratic-aligned Americans view Trump’s behavior during the trial as inappropriate, while Republicans have mixed views. Overall, about half of Americans are closely following news about the trial, with those aligned with a political party being more attentive than independents.
The CNN poll was conducted by SSRS from April 18-23 among a random national sample of 1,212 adults. The margin of error for the full sample is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. The results suggest a deep divide among Americans regarding Trump’s current trial and its implications for his political future. The shifting opinions on the relevance of the charges against him and the potential impact of a conviction highlight the uncertainty and polarization surrounding Trump’s legal troubles.
