76% Of Republican Voters Think Trump Indictments Are Politically Motivated, New Poll Finds

Republican primary voters seem more concerned over the intentions behind  Donald Trump’s two recent indictments than they are about his alleged breach of national security.

His popularity in the 2024 presidential race has not seemed to diminish since federal charges were brought against him last week.

Congruent with Trump’s claims on social media, most Republicans believe that the investigation into Trump’s mishandling of classified documents was politically motivated. They believe that he was wrongly accused and that the Department of Justice is conducting a “witch hunt.”

In a survey conducted by CBS News amongst GOP primary voters, 80% of them stated that Trump should still be able to run for president, even if he is to be convicted of a felony.

In fact, 61% of conservative voters said that even a possible conviction would not change their opinions about Trump. Fourteen percent of voters even stated that a conviction would change their view of Trump for the better, with only 7% of Republicans saying that it would make them think less of the former president.

Despite last week’s indictment, Republicans are still focused on Trump’s plans for the country as a candidate for the presidency. A question about policy priorities revealed that 90% of GOP primary voters believe that having a plan to lower inflation is much more important than other topics discussed during the campaign season; only 29% want to hear about plans to support the national abortion ban, and 26% want to hear about limiting transgender rights.

Even though they support him, 61% of Republicans do not want to hear Trump talk about the charges being brought against him. They would rather hear about his plans for the country.

If Trump’s indictment eventually derails his campaign, 74% of GOP voters say that they would want the next Republican nominee to be similar to Trump. He is up nearly three to one in vote preference, with Ron DeSantis (R-Florida) trailing far behind him.

It is important to acknowledge the difference in values between Republicans and so-called “MAGA Republicans,” who are more combative and unwaveringly loyal to Trump. In response to a question about appealing to different political parties, 59% of MAGA Republicans said that it is more important to motivate conservatives than it is to appease moderates and independents. They believe that invigorating their own party is a priority.

While Republicans are pushing for Trump to beat his GOP opponents, they were more concerned with the party’s success in taking out President Joe Biden – 86% of conservative voters do not think that Biden should be running for a second term, while 58% of Democrats want to see him in office for another four years.

The 42% of Democrats who are against Biden’s possible re-election were asked for their reasoning – 45% of this population does not believe that he will even finish a second term, and 31% are not happy with his performance during his first term.

When pooling all of the voters together, regardless of party, 48% of Americans stated that being president is too demanding of a job for someone above the age of 75. Both Biden and Trump have crossed this threshold, although Trump’s age is not discussed as frequently as Biden’s.