In a new AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, only about one-third of U.S. adults believe that former President Donald Trump committed a crime in the hush money case for which jury selection began Monday. However, close to half of Americans think he did something illegal in the other three criminal cases pending against him. The poll also found that Americans are skeptical about whether Trump is receiving a fair trial from prosecutors, judges, and jurors.
Despite the doubts surrounding the trial, half of Americans would consider Trump unfit to serve as president if he is convicted of falsifying business documents to cover up hush money payments to a woman who claimed to have had an affair with him. A conviction could have political implications for Trump, as he is set to enter a rematch with President Joe Biden as the first presumptive nominee of a major party to be under indictment.
Trump has made the prosecutions against him a focal point of his campaign, alleging without evidence that Biden engineered the cases against him. However, the poll suggests that a conviction could sway public opinion, especially among independent voters and those who have been skeptical of Trump in the past.
Overall, the poll found that public opinion on Trump’s legal troubles remains divided along party lines, with Republicans less likely to believe he committed a crime in the hush money case compared to Democrats and independents. The outcome of the trial and its impact on Trump’s political future will continue to be closely watched in the coming weeks.