Half of Americans say Trump admin is not committed to protecting Americans’ rights and freedoms: Poll
According to a recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted through Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel, half of Americans believe that the Trump administration is not committed to protecting Americans’ rights and freedoms. The survey also revealed that majorities feel President Donald Trump is not dedicated to safeguarding freedom of the press, freedom of speech, a fair criminal justice system, free and fair elections, and freedom of religion. However, a significant 73% majority believe he is committed to protecting the freedom to own firearms.
Interestingly, the poll showed a stark divide in perceptions based on political affiliation. While most Republicans believe Trump is committed to all measured rights, the majority of Democrats and independents feel he is not dedicated to protecting any of them, except for owning firearms.
On the other hand, opinions about the Democratic Party’s commitment to protecting rights were more evenly split. Slim majorities of Americans believe the Democratic Party is committed to safeguarding freedom of the press, speech, religion, and free and fair elections. However, the majority of Americans feel that the Democratic Party is not committed to ensuring a fair criminal justice system, and a significant 60% believe they are not dedicated to protecting the freedom to own firearms.
The survey also delved into perceptions about the Trump administration’s handling of legal matters. A majority of Americans believe that federal judges are trying to enforce existing limits on Trump’s legal authority, while a sizable portion feel they are interfering with his legal authority. Additionally, most Americans think the Trump administration is trying to avoid complying with court orders rather than making an effort to comply.
When it comes to retribution against political opponents, a majority of Americans feel that Trump is going “too far,” particularly Democrats and independents. Republicans, on the other hand, believe he is handling the situation appropriately. The survey also touched on the charges against former FBI Director James Comey and former National Security Advisor John Bolton, with varying opinions on whether the charges are politically motivated or justified.
Overall, the survey provided valuable insights into Americans’ perceptions of the Trump administration’s commitment to protecting rights and freedoms, as well as their views on legal matters and retribution against political opponents. The methodology of the survey was conducted online among a random national sample of 2,725 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points. The partisan divisions in the survey were 28% Democrats, 31% Republicans, and 41% independents or other affiliations.
