Fewer Americans are blaming Donald Trump for Jan. 6

Fewer Americans hold former President Donald Trump responsible for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot than they did a year ago, according to an NBC News poll released Monday.

One Jan. 21, 2021, the day after President Joe Biden's inauguration, 52% of Americans polled said Trump was "[s]olely" or "[m]ainly" responsible for the Jan. 6 riot, while 29% said the former president was "[n]ot really responsible."

The most recent NBC poll from the end of May shows that 45% of Americans believe Trump was solely or mainly responsible for the riot, and 35% believe he was not responsible for it.

The NBC poll also showed that more people view former President Trump very positively than President Biden at 21% to 17%. Trump is also rated higher than the Republican Party, which 13% of respondents viewed very positively, and the Democratic Party, which 10% of those polled said they viewed very positively.

Vice President Kamala Harris had the lowest approval with just 14% of respondents having a very positive view of her.

Americans' improving views towards former President Trump's association with the Capitol riot come nearly one year after the Jan. 6 Committee's founding. Its first public hearing is expected Thursday evening, and members will present their findings after conducting more than 1,000 interviews.

Republicans have signaled they plan on going on the offensive by portraying the Democratic-led probe as "unconstitutional and illegitimate."

On Saturday, top-ranking GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York said: "We’re working very closely with President Trump and his team with Leader Kevin McCarthy, with Jim Jordan, and really all of the House Republicans will be pushing back in a rapid response fashion."