New Poll Shows Majority Support for Trump in New York Criminal Case

A recent poll conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reveals that the first criminal trial involving former President Donald Trump is the one where Americans are least convinced of his guilt. Only about one-third of U.S. adults believe that Trump committed a crime in the New York City trial where he is accused of falsifying business records to silence a former adult film star about an alleged extramarital affair before the 2016 election.

However, almost half of Americans think that Trump may have committed a crime in the other three criminal cases against him. Additionally, there is skepticism surrounding the fairness of the prosecutors, judge, and jurors involved in the case.

Despite the doubts, half of Americans would consider Trump unfit for the presidency if he is convicted of falsifying business records related to payments to a woman claiming an affair with him.

While a New York jury will determine the outcome of the trial, public opinion could impact Trump’s political future. A conviction might harm his campaign as the first presumptive nominee and former president under indictment. The verdict is expected before the Republican National Convention where he will be nominated.

Trump has used the prosecutions against him as a campaign focal point, alleging the cases were engineered by President Joe Biden. While this strategy helped him secure GOP support during the primary, a conviction could alter perceptions among independent voters and critics of Trump.

The poll results indicate that many Americans believe Trump may have committed various illegal acts in different contexts, such as classified documents found at his Florida home, interference in Georgia’s vote count, and attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.

In the New York case, prosecutors claim that Trump falsified his company’s internal records to conceal a payment to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who allegedly paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump. Trump has denied these allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The poll shows that while 35% of Americans believe Trump did something illegal in this case, fewer think he acted unethically without breaking the law. Some Republicans are less likely to see Trump as guilty compared to Democrats and independents.

Overall, the poll highlights diverse opinions among Americans about Trump’s legal troubles and the potential implications for his political future.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.