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Americans On Biden's Handling Of Classified Documents: Inappropriate & Serious, But Shouldn't Face Charges, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Biden Handling Of The Mexican Border Hits Record Low While Majority Back His New Immigration Plan

In the wake of revelations that classified documents from President Biden's time as vice president were found in his home and private office, prompting an investigation by a special counsel, Americans think 60 - 22 percent that Biden acted inappropriately in the way he handled those documents, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of adults released today.

Republicans (84 - 5 percent) and independents (60 - 24 percent) think Biden handled the documents inappropriately, while Democrats are split with 41 percent saying they think Biden handled them appropriately and 38 percent saying they think he handled them inappropriately.

Two-thirds of Americans (67 percent) say they are following news about the discovery of these documents either very closely (31 percent) or somewhat closely (36 percent), while 32 percent say they are either following it not so closely (12 percent) or not closely at all (20 percent).

Seventy-one percent of Americans think the discovery involving President Biden and his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House as vice president is either very serious (39 percent) or somewhat serious (32 percent), while 24 percent think it is either not too serious (17 percent) or not serious at all (7 percent).

Forty-six percent of Americans think President Biden should not face criminal charges over his handling of these classified documents, while 37 percent think he should face criminal charges.

Democrats (80 - 7 percent) think Biden should not face criminal charges, while Republicans (62 - 23 percent) think he should face criminal charges. Forty-four percent of independents think Biden should not face criminal charges, while 39 percent think he should face criminal charges.

"Roughly two-thirds of Americans are aware of and troubled by the misplaced classified documents found in President Biden's home and private office. But is it a criminal case? No.," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

BIDEN

Americans give President Biden a negative 36 - 53 percent job approval rating. This compares to a negative 40 - 50 percent job approval rating in a Quinnipiac University poll on December 14, 2022 and now stands at the level it was in November.

Among registered voters, Biden receives a negative 38 - 53 percent job approval rating. This compares to a negative 43 - 49 percent job approval rating on December 14, 2022.

Americans were asked about Biden's handling of...

  • the response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine: 44 percent approve, while 47 percent disapprove;
  • foreign policy: 36 percent approve, while 54 percent disapprove;
  • the economy: 34 percent approve, while 61 percent disapprove;
  • immigration issues: 22 percent approve, while 65 percent disapprove;
  • the situation at the Mexican border: 18 percent approve, while 68 percent disapprove.

President Biden's marks on his handling of the situation at the Mexican border hit an all-time low in a Quinnipiac University poll. The previous low was a negative 23 - 67 percent on October 6, 2021.

The President's announcement of new rules at the U.S. border with Mexico receives majority support. Americans say 60 - 34 percent that they approve of Biden's plan to turn away people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who cross the border from Mexico illegally and to instead accept a total of 30 thousand people from these countries per month if they come legally, have sponsors, and pass background checks.

Democrats (70 - 23 percent) and independents (65 - 31 percent) approve of this plan, while Republicans are divided with 49 percent approving and 46 percent disapproving.

"The President gets terrible numbers on handling the border crisis but strong support on strict, specific new measures to get a grip on the tidal wave of immigrants trying to enter the U.S.," added Malloy.

CONGRESS

Americans disapprove 53 - 32 percent of the way the Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives recently handled the choosing of the Speaker of the House. Republicans approve 55 - 31 percent.

Seventeen percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of the new House Speaker, Kevin McCarthy, while 38 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him and 41 percent say they haven't heard enough about him.

Eighteen percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of the new Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, while 14 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him and 66 percent say they haven't heard enough about him.

Americans give Republicans in Congress a negative 26 - 64 percent job approval rating.

Americans give Democrats in Congress a negative 34 - 56 percent job approval rating.

JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE AND DONALD TRUMP

The month after the House Select Committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 released a report of its findings, nearly two-thirds of Americans say they have heard or read either a lot (31 percent) or some (34 percent) about the report, while 34 percent say they have heard or read either not too much (14 percent) or not much at all (20 percent) about the report.

Americans are split on whether former President Trump committed a crime with his efforts to change the results of the 2020 presidential election, as 47 percent think he did commit a crime and 46 percent think he did not commit a crime. This compares to results of a Quinnipiac University poll on December 14, 2022 when 47 percent said they think he did commit a crime and 43 percent said they think he did not commit a crime.

U.S. AID TO UKRAINE

As Russia's war against Ukraine approaches its one-year mark, 33 percent of Americans think the United States is doing too much to help Ukraine, 21 percent think the U.S. is doing too little, and 38 percent think the U.S. is doing about the right amount to help Ukraine.

This compares to a Quinnipiac University poll on February 28, 2022 after the war started, when 7 percent of Americans thought the U.S. was doing too much to help Ukraine, 45 percent thought the U.S. was doing too little, and 37 percent thought the U.S. was doing about the right amount to help Ukraine.

FINANCIAL SITUATION WORRIES

Forty-four percent of Americans say the price of gas and consumer goods is the economic issue that worries them the most right now, while 32 percent say the cost of housing or rent, 12 percent say the stock market, and 5 percent say their job situation.

This compares to a Quinnipiac University poll on November 2, 2022 when 54 percent said the price of gas and consumer goods, 25 percent said the cost of housing or rent, 12 percent said the stock market, and 5 percent said their job situation.

WHAT DO AMERICANS THINK OF THE ROYALS?

In the wake of massive media attention given to Prince Harry's memoir and a documentary series with his wife Meghan Markle about their lives and their split with the British Royal Family, an overwhelming majority of Americans (70 percent) say the subject of Prince Harry or Meghan Markle has not come up in any conversations they've had with family, friends, or co-workers, while 29 percent say it has.

Americans were asked whether they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of:

  • Prince Harry: 26 percent say favorable, 28 percent say unfavorable, 38 percent haven't heard enough about him;
  • Meghan Markle: 22 percent say favorable, 27 percent say unfavorable, 44 percent haven't heard enough about her;
  • the British Royal Family: 27 percent say favorable, 38 percent say unfavorable, 28 percent haven't heard enough about them.
"Ranking the Royals, it's a popularity tossup between Harry and Meghan and while less known, they come out ahead of the rest of the House of Windsor. While roughly two-thirds of Americans say the whole British family kerfuffle hasn't even come up in conversation," added Malloy.

1,659 U.S. adults nationwide were surveyed from January 11th - 15th with a margin of error of +/- 2.4 percentage points. Questions related to President Biden's handling of classified documents were added on January 12th and include responses from 1,380 U.S. adults nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points.

The survey included 1,466 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. For the questions related to President Biden's handling of classified documents, 1,214 registered voters were surveyed with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 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 random samples of adults using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

Visit poll.qu.edu or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll

Email poll@qu.edu, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll.

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