A Washington Post–ABC News poll released Friday morning shows a majority of Americans want outgoing and twice-impeached President Donald Trump to face criminal charges for inciting the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol last week, an attack that left five people dead.
According to the new survey, 54% of Americans — including one in eight Republicans — feel that Trump “should be charged with the crime of inciting a riot” for delivering an unhinged speech ahead of the attack urging his supporters to march on Capitol Hill and “show strength.”
“You’ll never take back our country with weakness,” Trump said as Congress prepared to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory. “The radical left knows exactly what they were doing. They are ruthless and it’s time that somebody did something about it.”
While Trump earlier this week denied any responsibility for the mob attack and claimed his remarks were “totally appropriate,” the Post-ABC poll found that 57% of Americans believe the lame-duck president bears a “great deal” or a “good amount” of blame for the deadly invasion of the Capitol Building.
The survey also found that 56% of Americans want the Senate to remove Trump and bar him from holding office again in the future.
The poll results come two days after the Democrat-controlled House on Wednesday made Trump the first-ever U.S. president to be impeached twice, approving by a 232-197 vote a resolution charging him with “inciting violence against the government of the United States.”
With Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) refusing to reconvene the Senate early to begin the trial before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has yet to transmit the article of impeachment to the upper chamber, leaving the timeline for the beginning of the conviction proceedings unclear.
“Calling the Senate back into session, convicting Trump, and removing him from office for inciting insurrection can’t wait,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, tweeted Thursday. “Mitch McConnell needs to act now.”
The stakes have never been higher (and our need for your support has never been greater).
For over two decades, Truthout’s journalists have worked tirelessly to give our readers the news they need to understand and take action in an increasingly complex world. At a time when we should be reaching even more people, big tech has suppressed independent news in their algorithms and drastically reduced our traffic. Less traffic this year has meant a sharp decline in donations.
The fact that you’re reading this message gives us hope for Truthout’s future and the future of democracy. As we cover the news of today and look to the near and distant future we need your help to keep our journalists writing.
Please do what you can today to help us keep working for the coming months and beyond.