Survey/ Real evidence or political revenge? What Americans think about the investigations against Trump

About half of Americans believe the New York prosecutor's investigation into Mr Trump paying a pornographic actress to remain silent is politically motivated, but a large majority find the allegations credible, according to a Reuters poll. / Ipsos.

The two-day poll, which closed Tuesday, found that 54% of respondents, including 80% Republicans and 32% Democrats, said politics was the driver of the criminal case by a Manhattan grand jury.

70% of respondents and half of Republicans said it was believable that Mr. Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign paid pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels for her silence about an alleged affair.

About 62% of respondents, including a third of Republicans, said it was also plausible that Mr. Trump falsified business records.

The findings highlight the unprecedented nature of the criminal investigation into Mr Trump as he seeks to shore up Republican support in the race for the White House in 2024. No US president has ever faced criminal charges in court.

Mr Trump, who is facing potentially tough competition in his third bid for the Republican nomination, has denied ever having an extramarital affair with actress Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Former President Trump said on Saturday that he expected to be arrested on Tuesday as he asked his supporters to donate money to his presidential campaign. A grand jury in Manhattan is considering whether to file an indictment.

Republican Party officials and analysts have said that Mr. Trump's criminal prosecution would only strengthen the resolve of his most loyal supporters.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential rival for the Republican Party nomination, has criticized what he called the politicization of the Manhattan district attorney's office. Mr. DeSanis has also side-stepped Mr. Trump.

Republican Trump responded aggressively through a post with mixed meanings on his "Truth Social" platform.

About nine in 10 respondents said they had heard about the Manhattan prosecutor's case against Mr. Trump, one of several investigations into him. A district attorney in Georgia is considering indicting Mr. Trump for trying to change the outcome of his 2020 election loss.

Mr. Trump falsely claims that his loss to Democratic President Joe Biden was due to fraud. In phone recordings, he is heard asking election officials in Georgia to find the right votes for him to win.

He also faces Justice Department investigations into his retention of classified documents after leaving the White House, as well as efforts to change the outcome of the 2020 election.

About 54% of respondents, including 85% of Democrats and 21% of Republicans, said that the allegations that Mr. Trump sought to commit electoral fraud are credible.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll polled 1,003 adults nationwide, including 415 Democrats and 383 Republicans./VOA