Donald’s rants about the criminal case he is now facing in Manhattan and the underlying investigation aren’t working.
New polling from YouGov that was conducted from April 4 to April 6 — meaning this week, which was the week of Trump’s arrest and arraignment — found a solid majority of overall respondents approving of the decision to take this action against Trump. A full 37 percent of respondents said they “strongly” approved of the decision to charge the ex-president, while 19 percent said they “somewhat” approve. Those disapproving at either level of intensity took a collective total of only 33 percent. A simple majority of respondents did also indicate they suspect the charges against Trump to be “politically motivated,” although the specific question asked of poll participants did not define that term.
Interestingly, over one-fourth of the GOP respondents shared that they approved (at any level) of the indictment against Trump. Among independents, the total was nearly half. Even among respondents identified as Trump voters in the 2020 election, a little over one in five said they too approved of the indictment brought against Trump, which in theory could result in a stint in jail for the former president if he is ever found guilty.
While these portions on the conservative side are, of course, comparatively small, the levels of approval remain notable considering how steeped the Republican Party remains in Trump’s antagonistic rhetoric. Not everyone in the GOP is taking it seriously, and he already has multiple challengers for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination ahead of the 2024 elections, but polling hasn’t shown these figures advancing particularly far. Nikki Haley and Asa Hutchinson, both of whom are former governors, are lingering in the single digits in their polling.
In court, Trump already faced the threat of an order from the judge handling his criminal case restricting his public rhetoric should he continue to threaten the independent handling of the proceedings. “Defense counsel, speak to your client and anybody else you need to, and remind them to please refrain, please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence or civil unrest,” Judge Juan Manuel Merchan said, also addressing prosecutors. “Please refrain from making comments or engaging in conduct that has the potential to incite violence, create civil unrest, or jeopardize the safety or well-being of any individuals. Also, please do not engage in words or conduct which jeopardizes the rule of law, particularly as it applies to these proceedings in this courtroom.”
