Americans are divided on whether former President Donald Trump should face prison time following his recent felony conviction on hush money charges, as revealed by a new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll showed that 48% of U.S. adults believe Trump should go to prison, while 50% disagree. The opinions are split along party lines with most Democrats supporting prison time for Trump, while most Republicans believe he should not be jailed, feeling he was unfairly treated by the legal system.
The poll highlighted the stark partisan differences in viewpoints regarding the case, which marked the first instance of a current or former U.S. president facing such charges. President Joe Biden and Trump have both incorporated the trial into their political campaigning strategies, with Biden emphasizing Trump’s felony conviction, and Trump alleging political motives behind the case orchestrated by Democrats.
Trump’s sentencing has been postponed until at least September, raising speculation due to its proximity to the Republican National Convention and the commencement of early voting in multiple states. The sentiments of Republicans varied in the poll, with a notable 14% supporting Trump’s conviction and 12% endorsing the idea of him serving time in prison, signaling internal discord within the party.
Furthermore, about 4 in 10 Americans expressed confidence in the fairness of the legal proceedings against Trump, while almost half approved of his conviction. Some individuals, like one independent from Tennessee, believe Trump’s actions constitute a moral rather than criminal offense and express disapproval of his claims of unfair treatment by the justice system.
The poll also touched on another prominent legal case involving President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of three felonies. Approximately 60% of Americans approved of Hunter Biden’s conviction, with bipartisan agreement on the matter. When questioned about sentencing, around 60% of respondents believed Hunter Biden should serve time in prison, with Republicans slightly more inclined to support imprisonment than Democrats in this case.
