More than half of Americans said they are “increasingly convinced” that President Donald Trump committed some wrongdoing in his dealing with Ukraine, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll released Wednesday, amid Trump's ongoing impeachment trial. RNA - Fifty-three percent of those surveyed said they think Trump did something wrong, while 34 percent said they are increasingly convinced of the president’s innocence.
The poll comes as Trump's trial rages on in the Senate. Democrats accuse Trump of abusing his power by withholding congressionally passed aid while lobbying Ukraine to investigate his political rivals, including former Vice President Joe Biden. Republicans say Trump was only concerned about corruption in Ukraine and that none of his actions rise to the level of impeachment.
The partisan debate has been amplified in recent days after a leaked manuscript from former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s upcoming book stated that Trump told him that he intentionally sought to withhold $391 million in military aid to Kyiv to pressure Ukraine to announce the requested probes.
Roughly 44 percent of respondents to Wednesday's survey said Trump deserves to be convicted in the Senate and removed from office, while 30 percent believe the charges against him should be dismissed. Another 30 percent opt for the middle ground of censuring him.
The GOP-controlled Senate is largely expected to acquit the president.
The ongoing proceedings do not appear to have significantly damaged the president’s approval ratings. Thirty-nine percent of Americans said they approve of the job he’s doing, while 55 percent disapprove, a margin that has largely held steady throughout his term.
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