Most Americans think President Donald Trump should agree to speak to special counsel Robert Mueller while under oath, according to a new Monmouth University poll.
Results from the poll include:
- 71 percent believe Trump should agree to an interview.
- 85 percent of Democrats, 74 percent of independents, and 51 percent of Republicans believe he should do an interview.
- 82 percent think that if he does, he should do so under oath.
- 93 percent of Democrats, 85 percent of independents, and 67 percent of Republicans agree the interview should be under oath.
"Democrats and Republicans alike say the president should sit down with Mueller, although they probably have very different reasons for wanting Trump to do this," Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, said in a statement.
Respondents also were asked if they believe reports that Trump attempted to fire Mueller last June.
- 58 percent believe Trump tried to fire Mueller last June.
- 27 percent think Trump did not try to fire Mueller.
- 41 percent think that if he did, that would constitute obstruction of justice
- 44 percent disagree, and think Trump’s actions are less serious than that.
Most Americans agree that the president or attorney general should not be able to fire a special counsel without the approval of a panel of federal judges.
"Bipartisan legislation to put a judicial check on the president's ability to fire an independent investigator receives widespread support from Democrats and independents. However, Republicans are split down the middle, so it remains to be seen whether either of the special counsel protection bills will be brought to the floor for a vote," Murray said.