Strong majorities of Americans believe that both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump acted inappropriately when it came to their handling of classified documents, but in weighing their severity, a plurality of the public believes Trump’s actions were more serious. Over three-quarters of the public, 77%, feel that Trump acted inappropriately in the way he handled classified files, while 64%, say the same of Biden. Condemnation expectedly aligns along party lines, with 96% of Democrats saying that Trump’s handling of classified documents was not appropriate compared to 47% of Republicans. More than eight in 10 independents (83%), believe that Trump’s behavior was inappropriate, per the ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted using Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel.
Reaction to Biden’s actions on this matter similarly varies by party, with 89% of Republicans saying that Biden’s handling of classified documents was not appropriate compared to 38% of Democrats and two-thirds of independents (66%). Both Biden and Trump are under heavy scrutiny due to the discovery of classified files located amid personal items or in unsecured facilities, instead of housed at the National Archives where they belong, though there are key differences in each case. Earlier this month, reports revealed that a small number of such documents were found in November at an office Biden kept in Washington, D.C. More documents have since been found in his Wilmington, Delaware, home.
The White House maintains that aides immediately contacted the Archives upon learning of the Biden documents and are cooperating fully with the Department of Justice. Trump, on the other hand, faces allegations from the DOJ of obstruction of justice, after his team allegedly left out key details and made multiple unfounded or false claims with investigators during initial efforts to retrieve classified documents stored in his Mar-a-Lago home.
Both now face special counsel investigations appointed by the Justice Department. To that end, this poll finds that more than twice as many Americans think that Trump’s actions were more severe than Biden’s, with 43% saying Trump’s behavior was a “more serious concern” and 20% saying Biden’s behavior was more serious. Still, nearly a third of the public (30%) finds the actions of both to be equally serious.
Partisan breakdowns once again show a stark contrast, with the overwhelming majority of Democrats, 84%, saying Trump’s behavior was more serious, compared to a thin 7% of Republicans who say the same. Although they are likely to give more leeway to the former president, Republicans seem less bullish here, with only a bare majority (53%) of those identifying with the GOP saying Biden’s handling of classified documents was more serious.
Independents are much more likely to say Trump’s behavior was more serious than Biden’s, 43% to 14%.
