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A majority of Americans believe it’s likely that the criminal charges former President Donald Trump has been convicted of are “politically motivated” — while less than half said the same about first son Hunter Biden’s gun case, according to a new poll. 

The Monmouth University survey, released Thursday, found that 57% of registered voters felt the 34 felony counts of falsifying business records brought against Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in the hush money investigation were politically motivated. 

That figure includes 93% of Republicans, 60% of independents and 17% of Democrats polled between June 6-10. 


  Fifty-seven percent of voters believe the charges against Trump were politically motivated. SHAWN THEW/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Fifty-seven percent of voters believe the charges against Trump were politically motivated. SHAWN THEW/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Meanwhile, 48% of registered voters thought it was likely the three felony counts Hunter Biden was convicted on earlier this week over his October 2018 purchase of Colt Cobra revolver while using illegal drugs were brought because of politics. 

That number includes 34% of Republicans, 47% of independents and 63% of Democrats, according to Monmouth University. 


  Forty-eight percent of voters felt the charges against Hunter Biden were brought because of political reasons. AFP via Getty Images Forty-eight percent of voters felt the charges against Hunter Biden were brought because of political reasons. AFP via Getty Images

“Many Americans are skeptical about these high profile trials and there is a clear partisan gap depending on which defendant we are talking about,” Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute, said in a statement. 

“Still, the results indicate Republicans have a higher level of distrust in our judicial process than Democrats do,” he added, 

Taken together, just 17% of voters said neither case was driven by political motives.

Voter intentions, however, have not changed as a result of the two criminal trials, the survey found. 

About half  of respondents (49%) indicated that they will definitely not vote for President Biden, 81, and an identical number (49%) have completely ruled out backing the 77-year-old Trump.

“These results have not moved much since last fall,” the pollster noted. 


  Overall support for Joe Biden and Donald Trump has not changed much as a result of the former president’s and first son’s trials. AFP via Getty Images Overall support for Joe Biden and Donald Trump has not changed much as a result of the former president’s and first son’s trials. AFP via Getty Images

  Enthusiasm for the 2024 presidential election is up since April, the poll found. Getty Images Enthusiasm for the 2024 presidential election is up since April, the poll found. Getty Images

The survey found that the presumptive GOP presidential nominee received a slight bump in the number of voters who say they will “definitely” vote for him, moving from 30% in April to 32% in the latest poll. 

Definite support for Biden dropped 1 percentage point from April. 

Overall enthusiasm about the November rematch of the 2020 election has grown in the aftermath of the trials, increasing from 39% in April to 28% in June. 

However, the pollster warned that enthusiasm may not translate to more turnout, for either candidate. 

“Voter enthusiasm has a limited impact on actual turnout,” Murray said. “But it is interesting how the partisan gap on this metric continues to favor Republicans as enthusiasm increases the closer we get to Election Day.”

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