Poll Shows Mixed Approval for Trump’s Crime Management
According to a recent AP-NORC poll, more than half of Americans support President Donald Trump’s handling of crime. In fact, 53% of those surveyed expressed satisfaction with his approach, which includes 46% of independents and only 16% of Democrats.
The survey was conducted following Trump’s announcement on August 11th about deploying the National Guard to address violent crime in Washington, D.C.
Interestingly, about 55% of respondents believe it’s acceptable for the U.S. military and National Guard to assist local police in large cities. However, only a third were in favor of the federal government taking control of major city police departments.
The findings also indicate that around 80% of Republicans support federal involvement in local policing, while just over half (51%) see no issue with the federal government controlling police stations. As for independents and Democrats, 46% and 30%, respectively, are on board with federal military support for local police.
Charles Arnold, an 87-year-old lifelong Republican from San Diego, mentioned, “I care if someone does something,” reflecting a common sentiment among some voters.
The poll reveals that a significant portion of Americans—about two-thirds—view crime as a “major” problem, especially in urban areas, with 96% of Republicans and 68% of Democrats sharing this concern.
Democrats are reportedly struggling to effectively counter Trump’s crime-related initiatives in Washington, D.C. Some have labeled Trump’s focus on crime as a “political responsibility” of the GOP.
On another note, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwarb announced on August 15 that the Trump administration is suing the Washington Metropolitan Police Department.
Overall, Trump’s job approval rating sits at 45%, which is a 5-point increase since July. Meanwhile, the approval of his economic policies also rose from 38% to 43% in the same period. However, 60% of respondents believe the U.S. economy is in poor shape.
The national survey took place from August 21st to 25th with 1,182 respondents through both online and telephone interviews, yielding a margin of sampling error of ±3.8 percentage points.
