Page 2 - aruba-today-20230817

A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 17 augusT 2023

Americans are divided along party lines over Trump’s actions in

election cases

Continued from Front fended democracy, while
23% say he threatened it.
The poll finds 85% of Demo- About a third of Repub-
crats approve of the crimi- licans say he neither de-
nal charges brought Aug. fended nor threatened de-
2 by Special Counsel Jack mocracy.
Smith, compared with 47% “Trump and a lot of his sup-
of independents and just porters are saying, ‘They’re
16% of Republicans. Over- just using this to get at him
all, 3 in 10 Americans dis- in the election,’” said Dav-
approve, including about id Biggar, a 60-year-old
two-thirds of Republicans. Republican from Navarre,
The survey suggests that Florida who twice voted
the unprecedented indict- against Trump. “I think he’s
ments of a former president being targeted because
have done little to shake he did stuff that he needs
up a fundamental divide in to be tried for.”
the electorate: The majority Americans largely disagree
of Americans disapprove with Trump’s contention
of Trump, but he remains that the 2020 election was
popular within the GOP. stolen from him. Seven in
Overall, 35% of Americans 10 say that Biden was legiti-
have a favorable view of mately elected president,
Trump and 62% unfavora- Former President Donald Trump waves as he steps off his plane at Ronald Reagan Washington a number that’s been con-
ble. Among Republicans, National Airport, Aug. 3, 2023, in Arlington, Va. Associated Press sistent in the last year. But
though, seven in 10 view among Republicans, 57%
the former president favo- Only about 2 in 10 U.S. have their political rival ar- when it comes to the Jan. 6 say Biden’s election was il-
rably, and about 6 in 10 adults — 17% — say they rested and put in jail,” said insurrection and the Geor- legitimate, compared with
say they want him to make have “a great deal” of Cary Arnold, a 56-year-old gia charges, along with 32% of independents and
another run for the White confidence in the people Republican from Elders- the case involving classi- 2% of Democrats.
House. running the Justice Depart- burg, Maryland. “Just on fied documents found at Treasa Howell, a 58-year-
The poll was conducted ment. The low level of con- the surface that’s a very, his home in Florida, only old Republican from
Aug. 10-14 , before Trump fidence spans the political very bad look. That’s some- about one-third say Trump Springfield, Missouri, said
and 18 of his allies were in- spectrum, with just 26% of thing that you would ex- acted illegally in allegedly a lot of the accusations
dicted Monday in Georgia Democrats, 14% of inde- pect to see in third world covering up hush money against Trump ring true, but
over their efforts to overturn pendents and 7% of Re- countries that are run by payments to a woman she believes they’re moti-
the state’s election results publicans saying they have dictators.” Trump’s actions who said he had an affair vated more by politics than
but with strong indications a great deal of confidence did not cross the line to mer- with her. That was the basis justice and Trump is being
that charges were immi- in the federal law enforce- it criminal charges, he said. for charges Trump faces in singled out.
nent. At the time of the sur- ment agency. About half “I have not seen anything New York City brought by “I honestly don’t feel like
vey, 51% of U.S. adults be- of Americans have “only that seemed to be illegal,” Manhattan District Attor- anybody in the political
lieved Trump acted illegally some” confidence in DOJ, Arnold said. “I know peo- ney Alvin Bragg. arena plays 100% fair,”
in that case, including 16% while about a third have ple have said that he did Overall, Americans say that Howell said. “I feel like it
of Republicans. That’s con- “hardly any confidence at things illegally, but none of Trump’s actions after the was a political indictment,
sistent with an AP-NORC all.” Republicans are much the things that they’ve said 2020 presidential election but I absolutely believe it’s
poll conducted in June. more likely than Democrats make any sense.” did more to threaten de- true. And that’s my prob-
Trump has denied wrong- to have hardly any confi- Trump has been indicted mocracy than to defend it, lem with Trump.”
doing and says the charges dence in the Justice De- four times since April, but 54% to 19%. One-quarter of But if Trump wins the GOP
against him are politically partment, 48% to 18%. Americans do not view the U.S. adults say he did nei- nomination and faces a re-
motivated as he seeks a re- “Trump is obviously running indictments equally. ther. Republicans are split match against Biden, she’ll
match against Democratic for president and the sitting While about half believe on the impact of Trump’s reluctantly vote for him, she
President Joe Biden. administration is pushing to Trump did something illegal decisions: 43% say he de- said.q