- Nearly three in five say Trump committed a crime while president, consistent with perceptions after his first impeachment and immediately after January 6th.
- The most concerning revelations from the January 6th investigation so far are a federal judge’s conclusion that Trump likely committed a crime and the missing hours of Trump’s call logs from that day.
- Americans are supportive of the Department of Justice filing criminal charges against Donald Trump for his involvement in the attack at the Capitol on January 6th.
Consistent Majorities Say Trump Committed Crime as President Compared to Post-Insurrection and First Impeachment
Since November of 2019, nearly three in five independents have consistently felt Trump committed a crime while president (56% in November 2019, 58% following the attack at the Capitol in 2021, and 57% in this latest wave).
One in Five 2020 Trump Voters Believe Trump Committed a Crime While President
Almost one in ten Americans (8%) say both that they voted for Trump in 2020 and believe he committed a crime while president.
- Groups especially likely to both have voted for Trump in 2020 and believe he committed a crime as president include vaccinated Republicans (22% of them voted for Trump and say he committed a crime), veterans (16%), and dads (15%).
Two in Three Oppose the Actions of Trump Supporters on January 6th
Nearly seven in ten independents (68%) and 55% of Republicans oppose the actions of January 6th rioters.
The House Investigation into January 6th Is Supported By a Majority of Americans
Almost two in three independents (63%) and more than two in five Republicans (43%) support the House investigation into January 6th.
Most Concerning to Americans on January 6th Is Trump Likely Committing a Crime and the 6 Missing Hours of Call Logs
Two in three independents (67%) find Virginia Thomas’ text messages urging Trump’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to overturn Biden’s victory “somewhat” or “very concerning.”
Americans Support the Department of Justice Filing Criminal Charges Against Trump
Information about the potential prosecution of Trump increases net support among independents by 12 points (from +24 to +36).
About The Study
This release features findings from national online surveys of 997 registered voters conducted April 14 - 18, 2022. Additional interviews were conducted among 100 Hispanic voters, 101 African American voters, 100 independents without a partisan lean, and 76 Asian American and Pacific Islander voters.