The court of public opinion: The limited effects of elite rhetoric about prosecuting political leaders.

ABSTRACT: Criminal prosecutions of political leaders have become salient election issues in the United States and globally, yet few studies have examined how such prosecutions affect public opinion. Donald Trump's criminal prosecution and ultimate victory in the 2024 US presidential election offer a valuable case to evaluate these effects. How does elite rhetoric about the accused leader's prosecution-from Donald Trump himself and from his federal prosecutor-shape public opinion? Using a preregistered survey experiment with 3,000 self-identified Republicans and independents, we test how alternative framings of Donald Trump's federal criminal prosecution affect public support for the accused leader, his prosecution and prosecutor, and democratic norms. Against theoretical expectations, we find that T

SUBMITTER: Markovits DB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12403058 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature