Majority of Republicans, independents believe Trump's enemies orchestrated FBI raid

That sentiment was more divided when broken down by party

By Ben Whedon

Published: August 10, 2022 3:22pm

Updated: August 10, 2022 3:39pm

A strong majority of Republicans and independents believe that former President Donald Trump's political enemies organized the Monday evening FBI raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate.

FBI agents with the Washington Field Office on Monday raided the former president's estate in pursuit of classified documents he may have removed from the White House.

"The are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents," Trump said in a statement. "Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before."

A plurality of Americans overall, 47.9%, believe "Trump's political enemies" were behind the raid, according to a Trafalgar group poll. contrast with 39.7% who attributed it to "the impartial justice system" and 12.4% who were not sure.

That sentiment was more divided when broken down by party. While 76.7% of Republicans believe Trump opponents masterminded the raid, 70.5% of Democrats said the Bureau acted impartially. Independents leaned toward blaming political bias with 53.9% blaming Trump's rivals for the raid.

The poll also asked respondents about the effect the raid had on their likeliness to vote, with Independents and Republicans decisively asserting that the raid made them more likely to participate in the 2022 midterms. 83.3% of Republicans said they were more likely to vote while 71.7% of independents and 55.2% of Democrats said the same.

Republicans have resoundingly condemned the raid, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy vowing to investigate the Department of Justice and the FBI's handling of the investigation should Republicans take the House in the midterms.

"I've seen enough," he said. "The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization. When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned. Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents and clear your calendar."