Reuters/Ipsos Data: Public Opinion on the Release of the Mueller Report (4/19/2019)

Washington, D.C. - The release of the full Mueller Report has shaken some of President Trump’s supporters, pointing to a small decline in approval ratings along with increased uncertainty about the President’s actions. President Trump’s approval rating has dropped from 40% earlier this week, to 37% among all Americans. Those individuals who have shifted away from Trump do not appear to now oppose Trump, instead they indicate they are unsure of his job performance (3% on April 16, 7% today). Opposition to the president holds firm – the number of Americans who believe Trump should be impeached (40%) or should resign (47%) is stable from March (39% and 46% respectively).

A strong majority of Americans (70%) indicate the release of the report did not change their mind about President Trump’s campaign or Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election. However, this number is down from March 26 (81%) following Attorney General Barr’s initial release of the summary of the Mueller report. Just 15% of Americans report they have learned something that has changed their mind about the president’s campaign and Russian interference in the election, and of those, a strong majority believe that President Trump, or someone close to him, broke the law.

Following the release of the report, 58% of Americans indicate that President Trump tried to stop investigations into Russian influence on his administration, up 5 points from March 26, 2019. The driving force behind the increase are Americans who now “somewhat agree” that Trump tried to stop the investigation (25% today, 18% in March 2019), indicating that perceptions have been impacted by the report, but many are cautious to jump to firm conclusions.

Read the entire Reuters’story here.

About this Study

These are findings from an Ipsos poll conducted April 18-19, 2019 on behalf of Thomson Reuters. For the survey, a sample of roughly 1,005 adults age 18+ from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. This sample includes 353 Democrats, 344 Republicans, and 210 Independents.
For the previous wave, a sample of roughly 1,003 adults age 18+ from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English during March 25-26, 2019. This sample includes 350 Democrats, 362 Republicans, and 200 Independents.

The sample for this study was randomly drawn from Ipsos’s online panel (see link below for more info on “Access Panels and Recruitment”), partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling (see link below for more info on the Ipsos “Ampario Overview” sample method) and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing sample. After a sample has been obtained from the Ipsos panel, Ipsos calibrates respondent characteristics to be representative of the U.S. Population using standard procedures such as raking-ratio adjustments. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2016 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. Post-hoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, region, race/ethnicity and income.

Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents (see link below for more info on Ipsos online polling “Credibility Intervals”). Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=1,005 DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=5.0).

The poll also has a credibility interval plus or minus 5.9 percentage points for Democrats, plus or minus 6.0 percentage points for Republicans, and plus or minus 7.7 percentage points for Independents (see link below for more info on Ipsos online polling “Credibility Intervals”).

For more information on this news release please contact:

Chris Jackson
Vice President, U.S.
Ipsos Public Affairs
202.420.2011
[email protected]

Annaleise Azevedo Lohr
Senior Account Manager, U.S.
Ipsos Public Affairs
[email protected]

About Ipsos Public Affairs

Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. We conduct strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research.

Ipsos has media partnerships with the most prestigious news organizations around the world. In Canada, the U.S., UK, and internationally, Ipsos Public Affairs is the media polling supplier to Reuters News, the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. Ipsos Public Affairs is a member of the Ipsos Group, a leading global survey-based market research company. We provide boutique-style customer service and work closely with our clients, while also undertaking global research.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos ranks fourth in the global research industry.

With offices in 89 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across five research specializations: brand, advertising and media; customer loyalty; marketing; public affairs research; and survey management.

Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of €1,749.5 million in 2018.