After Trump's Federal Indictment, Growing Numbers Believe Violence Needed To Restore Him To Presidency, Shows Survey

A recent survey reveals a growing number of Americans believe violence could be necessary to restore Donald Trump to the presidency. The survey, conducted between April and June, shows an increase from 4.5% to 7% in the number of Americans who hold this belief, equivalent to an estimated shift from 12 million to 18 million American adults. The Hill reports.

What Happened: The survey, titled “Dangers to Democracy,” was released by the Chicago Project on Security Threats (CPST) earlier this month.

The rise in the number of Americans who believe violence is justified to restore Trump to the presidency likely reflects an increased commitment to Trump following the announcement of the federal indictment against him for mishandling classified documents on June 9, 2023. This was about two and a half weeks before the survey was conducted on June 26, 2023.

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Why It Matters: The survey’s findings come amidst a backdrop of heightened political tension. Donald Trump Jr. recently suggested that an indictment of his father could lead to the end of civilization.

Furthermore, Mary Trump, the former president’s niece, has expressed concerns that Trump’s rallies could incite violent chaos.

Another significant finding by the survey was that nearly 40 percent of Americans shared "at least one attitude reflecting deep distrust of American democratic institutions" while 20 percent believed in anti-democratic conspiracies surrounding how the United States is run, according to the report.

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