A new poll shows an increase in President Donald Trump disapproval rating – and outlines public opposition to pardoning Paul Manafort or firing attorney general Jeff Sessions.
Among those surveyed in the new Washington Post / ABC News poll, a majority of 63 per cent backs special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe, which Trump brands a ‘witch hunt.’
This includes a 52 per cent majority who ‘strongly’ back an inquiry Trump has spent months trying to expose as a partisan exercise.
Only 29 per cent say they are opposed to the probe, which Trump on Thursday said was ‘illegal.’
The poll gives Trump a 60 per cent disapproval rating, an uptick since before former campaign chair Paul Manafort’s conviction in a Virginia trial.
A new poll gives Trump a 60 per cent disapproval rating
The poll was taken after longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s guilty plea on eight counts. According to the poll, 61 per cent of voters say Trump committed a crime if he directed Cohen to make payments.
Prosecutors laid out a scheme where Cohen paid $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an affair with Trump, then got reimbursement. Cohen said in court he was directed to violate campaign finance laws by an individual who charging documents revealed to be Trump.
Only 31 per cent said he didn’t commit a crime.
A tape secretly recorded by Cohen also has Trump discussing a $150,000 payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
A majority of 64 per cent said Trump should not fire attorney general Jeff Sessions, who Trump complains lost control of the Justice Department.
A majority of respondents were against firing attorney general Jeff Sessions
61 per cent of voters saying Trump committed a crime if he directed longtime lawyer Michael Cohen to make payments to two women
Among those surveyed in the new Washington Post / ABC News poll, a majority of 63 per cent backs special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe, which Trump brands a ‘witch hunt’
Trump gets 78 per cent job approval from Republicans, but an overwhelming 93 per cent disapproval rating from Democrats and a politically perilous 59 per cent disapproval from independents.
As Trump has vented about the prosecution of former campaign chair Paul Manafort, saying he was treated ‘very badly,’ only 17 per cent said his prosecution is unjustified
Sixty-seven percent of Americans says they think the case against him was justified. A Virginia jury agreed, convicting him unanimously on eight counts, though according to reports a single juror kept the panel from agreeing to ten other counts.