Low confidence

Latest polling shows low confidence in SCOTUS and little support for Trump immunity

From CNN's Ariel Edwards-Levy

With the Supreme Court set to decide on Donald Trump’s immunity claims today, two recent polls show widespread negative views of the Supreme Court — with most of the public opposing the former president’s immunity claims.

In an AP-NORC poll released last week, just 16% of US adults expressed a great deal of confidence in the Supreme Court, with 44% saying they had only some confidence in the institution, and 40% that they had hardly any confidence at all. A 58% majority of Democrats reported having hardly any confidence in the Supreme Court.

About two-thirds of US adults said they had little or no confidence in the Court’s handling of presidential power and immunity (66%) or elections and voting (63%), similar to the numbers on other issues including abortion and gun policy. And 70% said they believed justices on the Supreme Court were “more likely to shape the law to fit their own ideologies,” with just 28% saying justices were “more likely to provide an independent check on other branches of government by being fair and impartial.”

A May survey from Marquette Law School found public approval of the Supreme Court standing at 39%, with 61% disapproving. The Court’s numbers have been consistently underwater in Marquette’s polling since the 2022 Dobbs decision.

US adults said, 60% to 30%, that Trump should not have immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts, while those asked a broader question about whether “former presidents” should have immunity said, 71% to 16%, that they should not. A 61% majority of Republicans asked about Trump specifically said he should be immune from criminal prosecution.