Prosecutor Bragg's judicial harassment gives Trump a boost in the polls

Donald Trump's popularity rises in the polls after rumors of his possible arrest. The former president announced on social networks, indirectly, that he would be arrested on Tuesday. New York U.S. Attorney Alvin Bragg subpoenaed him to appear before a jury for a possible financial crime related to actress Stormy Daniels. According to The New York Times the subpoena is a step prior to indictment. Following this news, Trump is gaining points in the polls.

According to Rasmussen polls in March, Trump has 52% approval and 44% disapproval. The same poll in November gave him only 47% approval. He surpasses President Joe Biden in popularity, who in March only had a 46% positive rating compared to a 53% disapproval rating. Some polls only tally 44% approval to Joe Biden for the same period.

Only 28% of Americans "strongly agree" with Biden's actions as of March 16. His lowest score was in June, with only 16%. In March, 44% are at the opposite extreme, considering themselves to "strongly disagree" with the Democrat's policies.

Morning Consult released polling results Tuesday for the Republican primary in which Donald Trump rises and pulls a big lead over Ron DeSantis, with 54% to the current Florida governor's 26%. In the same state, Trump beats DeSantis by three points, according to Emerson College polls conducted March 13-15.

According to tycoon Elon Musk, if Trump were to be arrested, his election victory would be a "landslide." An indictment, or even a prison sentence, would not prevent a candidate from being elected. Former National Security Advisor John Bolton has the same opinion. The Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, also criticized this news charging prosecutor Bragg. "Alvin Bragg is abusing his office to target President Trump while he’s reduced a majority of felonies, including violent crimes, to misdemeanors. He has different rules for political opponents," the Republican tweeted.

Trump is expected to have strong support on the streets, especially in New York, where he is expected to testify. The appearance before the jury is voluntary, but according to The New York Times, which broke the news, an indictment against the former president will be forthcoming.

The New York Police Department on Monday prepared a security detail around the Manhattan courthouse in anticipation of mass protests in support of former President Trump. According to statements by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, police are monitoring social networks and watching for suspicious chatter. Despite the installation of a security perimeter around the courthouse, he believes there is no serious threat of disturbances.

This situation has been compared to the one experienced on Capitol Hill in 2021 after the elections that Donald Trump considered rigged. According to some media reports, the response from Trump's followers will be much more restrained this time. According to the AP news, some of the former president's followers consider this to be a trap by law enforcement. Arrests related to the assault on the Capitol continue to be made during the month of March.