81% of Republicans believe that Mr. Trump was prosecuted for political purposes, and his approval rating far exceeds that of his party rivals.
A survey conducted by Reuters and Ipsos, a multinational market research and consulting company headquartered in France, released on June 12 showed that 81% of Republicans surveyed said the prosecution of former President Donald Trump was unfair and motivated by political purposes.
This figure far exceeds the 30-35% of party members who support him given by political analysts.
Sixty-two percent of respondents, including 91 percent of Democrats and 35 percent of Republicans, believe that Mr. Trump illegally stored classified documents at his Florida home as prosecutors allege.
Former US President Donald Trump at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland, May 1. Photo: AFP
The indictment does not appear to have affected Mr Trump’s standing in the 2024 presidential race. About 43% of Republicans want him to be their party’s nominee, compared with 22% who support Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The figures were 49% and 19% in early May.
The remaining candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence, received support in the few percent range.
Mr. Trump became the first former US president to be indicted in late March, in connection with allegations of falsifying business records to pay to suppress information that was unfavorable to the 2016 presidential election. A New York judge said Mr. Trump would be tried in March 2024. This is a state-level prosecution, while the case of keeping classified documents is handled at the federal level.
The former US president is also facing investigations into his role in the Capitol Hill riots in January 2021 and his efforts to change the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
Despite his legal troubles, Mr. Trump still receives overwhelming support from the Republican Party. The party calls the move to prosecute Mr. Trump a political decision, aimed at hindering the former president in the race for the White House. Representative Elise Stefanik accused President Biden of "weaponizing" the Justice Department against Mr. Trump, calling it "interference in the 2024 presidential election."
Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Americans who believe in the rule of law will always stand with the former president "against injustice."
"It is outrageous for a president to prosecute a leading rival. President Joe Biden has kept classified documents for decades. House Republicans will hold him accountable for this weaponization of power," McCarthy wrote.
Vu Anh (According to Reuters )
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