63% Of Voters Disapprove Of The Trump Administration's Handling Of The Jeffrey Epstein Files, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Nearly Half Of Voters Would Consider Joining A Third Party, Just Not One Created By Elon Musk

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A week after the Justice Department and the FBI effectively closed the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by releasing no new files and concluding that he died by suicide in his jail cell, 17 percent of voters say they approve of the way the Trump Administration is handling the Jeffrey Epstein files, while 63 percent of voters disapprove, and 20 percent did not offer an opinion, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of registered voters released today.

Republicans are split with 40 percent approving of the way the Trump administration is handling the Jeffrey Epstein files, 36 percent disapproving and 24 percent not offering an opinion.

Democrats (83 - 2 percent) and independents (71 - 11 percent) disapprove of the way the Trump administration is handling the Jeffrey Epstein files.

"Epstein has been dead and gone for years but his tawdry legacy looms large in a country wanting to know more about who he knew and whether secrets have been buried with him," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

When asked how Pam Bondi is handling her job as U.S. Attorney General, 32 percent of voters approve, while 53 percent disapprove and 15 percent did not offer an opinion.

When asked how Kash Patel is handling his job as Director of the FBI, 36 percent of voters approve, while 47 percent disapprove and 17 percent did not offer an opinion.

When asked how Dan Bongino is handling his job as Deputy Director of the FBI, 34 percent of voters approve, while 41 percent disapprove and 26 percent did not offer an opinion.

TRUMP JOB APPROVAL

Forty percent of voters approve of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president, while 54 percent disapprove, largely unchanged from Quinnipiac University's June 26 poll.

Voters were asked about Trump's handling of seven issues...

  • the economy: 42 percent approve, while 55 percent disapprove, with 3 percent not offering an opinion;
  • foreign policy: 41 percent approve, while 54 percent disapprove, with 5 percent not offering an opinion;
  • the Israel - Hamas conflict: 40 percent approve, while 54 percent disapprove, with 6 percent not offering an opinion;
  • immigration issues: 40 percent approve, while 55 percent disapprove, with 4 percent not offering an opinion;
  • trade: 40 percent approve, while 56 percent disapprove, with 4 percent not offering an opinion;
  • deportations: 38 percent approve, while 59 percent disapprove, with 3 percent not offering an opinion;
  • the Russia - Ukraine war: 34 percent approve, while 57 percent disapprove, with 9 percent not offering an opinion.

CONGRESS JOB APPROVAL

Fewer than 2 in 10 voters (19 percent) approve of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job, while 72 percent disapprove and 10 percent did not offer an opinion. This is a record low since March 2009 when the Quinnipiac University Poll first began asking this question of registered voters.

Among Democrats, 39 percent approve of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job, while 52 percent disapprove and 9 percent did not offer an opinion.

One-third of voters (33 percent) approve of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job, while 62 percent disapprove and 5 percent did not offer an opinion.

Among Republicans, 77 percent approve of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job, while 20 percent disapprove and 3 percent did not offer an opinion.

"If the approval numbers for Republicans are bad...then the approval numbers for Democrats can be characterized as flat out terrible," added Malloy.

THIRD-PARTY ALTERNATIVE

Roughly half of voters (49 percent) say they would consider joining a third party as an alternative to the Republican and Democratic parties, while 45 percent say they would not consider joining a third party.

Close to 8 in 10 voters (77 percent) say they would not consider joining a third party if Elon Musk created it as an alternative to the Republican and Democratic parties, while 17 percent say they would consider joining it.

"There is a healthy appetite for a third party among American voters. But with Elon Musk leading the way, not so much," added Malloy.

ICE & DEPORTATIONS

When it comes to the way U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, is enforcing immigration laws, 39 percent of voters approve, while 57 percent disapprove and 4 percent did not offer an opinion.

Voters 64 - 30 percent oppose the United States deporting undocumented immigrants to countries other than their own.

GOP TAX AND SPENDING BILL

A majority of voters (55 percent) oppose the Republican tax and spending bill named One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law, while 35 percent support it and 10 percent did not offer an opinion.

A majority (53 percent) think the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will hurt the country, while 36 percent think it will help the country.

Forty-four percent of voters think the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will hurt them personally, while 37 percent think it will help them personally.

Roughly 6 out of 10 voters (61 percent) say they are either very concerned (43 percent) or somewhat concerned (18 percent) that they, or someone they know personally, may be affected by the cuts to Medicaid and food aid contained in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, while 36 percent say they are either not so concerned (13 percent) or not concerned at all (23 percent).

WORKING CLASS AMERICANS

When voters were asked which party they think best looks out for the needs of the working class, 46 percent think the Democratic Party, 40 percent think the Republican Party and 10 percent volunteer that they think neither party best looks out for the needs of the working class.

THE AMERICAN DREAM

When voters were asked which comes closer to their line of thinking, half (50 percent) think the American dream is not attainable, while 43 percent think the American dream is alive and well.

There are big gaps when it comes to political party and gender.

Among Democrats, 78 percent think the American dream is not attainable, while 15 percent think it is alive and well.

Among independents, 51 percent think the American dream is not attainable, while 41 percent think it is alive and well.

Among Republicans, 18 percent think the American dream is not attainable, while 79 percent think it is alive and well.

Among women, 57 percent think the American dream is not attainable, while 37 percent think it is alive and well.

Among men, 42 percent think the American dream is not attainable, while half (50 percent) think it is alive and well.

“Is the sun setting on the American Dream? Overall, voters have their concerns, though Republicans have a far rosier view," said Malloy.

1,290 self-identified registered voters nationwide were surveyed from July 10th - 14th with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on probability-based samples using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

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